USMNT Stars Shine Bright: Ranking the Four Standout Performers Leading America's World Cup 2026 Charge
The opening week of 2026 marked a bustling period for American soccer talent across Europe, with competitions in Germany, the Netherlands, and various other countries returning after an extended winter hiatus. Focus now shifts to the final stretch of the campaign and preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
It proved to be a weekend of contrasting fortunes for U.S. men's national team representatives. Chris Richards completed his first full match since suffering a December injury, though it occurred during Crystal Palace's shocking FA Cup defeat to non-league Macclesfield FC. Simultaneously, Ricardo Pepi found the net for his 13th strike this term but suffered a broken forearm that will keep him out for eight weeks.
The weekend delivered memorable moments on both ends of the spectrum. Here, Sports Illustrated evaluates the standout four displays from Mauricio Pochettino's squad members worldwide.
4. Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco)
The competition for the USMNT striker position experienced significant developments, with Josh Sargent linked to an MLS move to Toronto FC and Pepi suffering an injury that rules him out of March's international fixtures against Belgium and Portugal. However, Folarin Balogun maintained his impressive form.
Currently leading the race to spearhead Pochettino's attack at the 2026 World Cup, Balogun opened his 2026 account in Monaco's 3–1 French Cup triumph over third-division US Orléans, marking his eighth strike across all competitions this campaign. This represented his second goal involvement in 2026, following an assist against Lyon on January 3.
The 27-year-old forward and Monaco return to action Friday versus Lorient in Ligue 1, before their upcoming Champions League encounter with Real Madrid on January 20, with Balogun seeking further personal achievements.
"I'm still aiming to be much more influential in those fixtures," he shared with FIFA regarding his Champions League ambitions. "I recognize I have the chance to create a greater impact in such encounters... I can deliver crucial goals that help secure victories and potentially advance to subsequent rounds. I'm satisfied, but certainly aspire for more."
3. Auston Trusty (Celtic FC)
Celtic FC desperately required a commanding victory this weekend, having parted ways with former MLS Coach of the Year Wilfried Nancy after a disappointing eight-match period.
Fortunately for the Scottish powerhouse, they delivered exactly that with a comprehensive 4–0 triumph over Dundee United, featuring an exceptional center-back display from American defender Auston Trusty.
Trusty completed the entire match and established an effective partnership with fellow central defender Liam Scales, with the duo combining for 12 defensive actions while Trusty contributed 12 passes into the attacking third.
The defender's contributions helped secure the team's first shutout in nine outings. Additionally, the victory positions Celtic third in the standings with 12 fixtures remaining before the top six separate into the Championship Group following 33 matches.
2. Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
The Bundesliga's resumption for 2026 witnessed Joe Scally make his first appearance of the new year. The USMNT fullback excelled by netting the opener in a commanding 4–0 victory over Augsburg.
The triumph ended a three-game losing streak for Borussia Mönchengladbach, with Scally playing a pivotal role. His strike resulted from an intelligent diagonal movement into the penalty area, showing composure to convert at the second attempt after his initial effort from a difficult angle deflected off a defender.
Beyond his goal, he registered two additional attempts and generated two more scoring opportunities, while completing three recoveries in his team's comprehensive performance.
The result elevated his club to 10th position in the Bundesliga standings ahead of Wednesday's fixture against Cole Campbell's TSG Hoffenheim.
1. Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United)
Brenden Aaronson's weekend remained relatively quiet, but his midweek performance highlighted his exceptional current form. The American netted twice in Leeds United's 4–3 defeat to Newcastle United, extending his streak to three goals in three appearances; he also scored in last weekend's draw with Manchester United.
The 25-year-old featured for the full duration to secure his midweek double, bringing his season tally to four goals and three assists across 20 Premier League matches. At the weekend, Aaronson managed just one minute as a substitute in Leeds United's 3–1 FA Cup third-round victory over Patrick Agyemang's Derby County.
Despite his limited weekend involvement, Aaronson's USMNT prospects continue to strengthen, particularly with Pepi's troubling injury in the Netherlands. While Pepi should recover for the World Cup, Aaronson's current form provides the USMNT confidence that he can compensate for any offensive shortfall, given his flexible attacking responsibilities under manager Daniel Farke.