USMNT Stars Shine Bright: Ranking the Four Standout Performers Leading America's World Cup 2026 Charge
The closing weekend of January featured several outstanding displays from U.S. men's national team athletes, with some seeking to regain momentum before the 2026 World Cup while others made significant career advances.
While the USMNT's key figure, Christian Pulisic has struggled to recapture his early season brilliance with AC Milan, other players have demonstrated remarkable growth as the American talent pool evolves throughout the 2025–26 season.
The recent period witnessed numerous Americans excel in the concluding week of the Champions League group stage, along with their domestic competitions, while MLS athletes continued preparing for their upcoming seasons through ongoing training camps across Europe, South America and the United States.
Here, Sports Illustrated evaluates the top four displays of the week from American athletes around the world.
4. Gianluca Busio (Venezia)
4. Gianluca Busio (Venezia)
Gianluca Busio may not be contending for a spot in the 2026 World Cup roster, but at 23 years of age, he possesses the capability to become a future cornerstone of the USMNT. This past weekend witnessed him net his fifth strike of the campaign in Venezia's 2–1 victory over Carrarese in Serie B competition as he maintains an impressive season.
Having earned 17 USMNT appearances, the move down to Serie B following last year's relegation has enabled him to grow as an offensive player, potentially positioning him for greater achievements in upcoming seasons.
Recording five strikes and one assist across 21 appearances thus far in 2025–26, Busio has been instrumental in Venezia's achievements as they lead the league with 47 points after 22 fixtures, targeting promotion in the near future.
A former Sporting Kansas City prospect, Busio enters the final five months of his deal with the Italian club.
3. Folarin Balogun (Monaco)
3. Folarin Balogun (Monaco)
The expected first-choice forward for the USMNT this summer, Folarin Balogun experienced a demanding week with a goalless stalemate against Weston McKennie's Juventus in the Champions League, followed by a 4–0 triumph over Rennes in Ligue 1 competition.
While he found it difficult to create a meaningful influence in the Champions League, he contributed to two goals against Rennes, registering an assist on Ansu Fati's opener in the 33rd minute.
Though he wasn't particularly visible in scoring positions, his capacity to retreat deeper and create opportunities for both Fati and fellow winger, Aleksandr Golovin demonstrated his versatility as a creator in a central offensive position.
Despite an effective performance, Balogun had to exit in the 56th minute due to hamstring discomfort, a concerning development for the upcoming weeks leading to the March international matches with the USMNT.
2. Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
2. Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
Malik Tillman's comeback to the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen has experienced mixed results this campaign, but he delivered an exceptional week, netting three times across two fixtures.
Initially, the American secured a double against Villarreal in the Champions League to assist his team's progression in the tournament with a 16th-place finish in the group stage, before contributing significantly and scoring in his side's 3–1 victory over Frankfurt on Saturday.
Both encounters saw him operate as a right-wing attacking midfielder, where he executed delayed runs into the penalty area and swift combinations with various offensive teammates, including Ibrahim Maza and Patrik Schick against Villarreal, and Martin Terrier and Christian Kofane against Frankfurt.
While he probably won't sustain scoring over a goal per match, the improvement in offensive production will be encouraging news for Pochettino, with the USMNT seeking to strengthen additional attacking midfield alternatives alongside Christian Pulisic, who has begun to decline with Milan.
1. Weston McKennie (Juventus)
1. Weston McKennie (Juventus)
Weston McKennie was at it again for @juventusfc on Sunday! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rMtrVGXj19
Weston McKennie remains without a contract extension beyond 2026 with Juventus, but considering his performances, that situation appears likely to change. This week, the 27-year-old standout continued demonstrating his excellent form with his third Serie A goal of the season in a 4–1 victory over Parma, following an impressive display in a goalless draw against Monaco to progress in the Champions League.
The strike against Parma represented his fourth across all competitions since the calendar turned to 2026 and aided the Bianconeri's climb to fourth in the Serie A standings, continuing a steady ascent under manager Luciano Spalletti.
McKennie operated centrally in the triumph over Parma, functioning as a quasi false-nine compared to the wider positions he has occupied for most of this season. The tactical shift occurred less than a week after Spalletti labeled him a potential "ideal striker," following a victory over Napoli.
The display saw him continue maximizing a thriving partnership with fellow North American Jonathan David, while generating two scoring opportunities and attempting three shots. David, meanwhile, recorded his fourth goal and third assist in the previous seven matches.
McKennie's adaptability and sustained excellent performances can only benefit all parties involved. For Juventus, their aspirations for Champions League qualification in 2026–27 persisted, while McKennie strengthened his argument for a contract renewal. Regarding the USMNT, he'll aim to carry that form into March and toward the World Cup.