USMNT Stars Shine Bright: Ranking the Top 5 Players Dominating Their Way to World Cup 2026
The anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is building rapidly for U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff, with the Argentine's analytical team working overtime following another thrilling week of global football action.
Just 26 players will secure spots on the USMNT squad, making the battle for positions more intense than ever before, and Friday's World Cup draw will only heighten the anticipation of potentially competing in a home tournament.
Fringe players are putting in maximum effort to catch Pochettino's attention, though no athlete will assume their position on the USMNT roster is secure—which may explain why several prominent stars elevated their performances this past weekend in remarkable fashion.
Here, Sports Illustrated evaluates the top five displays from across the world.
5. Mark McKenzie (Toulouse)
It was a defensive battle for Mark McKenzie and his Toulouse squad on Saturday afternoon, with the USMNT center-back's team anticipated to face difficulties against Champions League contenders Marseille.
Toulouse found themselves under pressure throughout, holding only 21% of possession, yet they secured a crucial point in added time as McKenzie, operating within a three-man defense that frequently shifted to five, provided the setup for Santiago Hidalgo's dramatic leveler.
The unexpected assist complemented an outstanding performance featuring five clearances, three blocks and two successful duels for McKenzie—a resolute display that left Marseille lamenting a squandered chance to claim the Ligue 1 summit.
4. Tim Weah (Marseille)
Tim Weah completed the entire 90 minutes in Marseille's encounter with Toulouse, though it was his midweek Champions League performance against Newcastle United that secures his spot among the week's standout performers.
The adaptable defender delivered the cross for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's 50th-minute match-winner against the Magpies, crowning a comprehensive display where Weah generated four scoring opportunities, completed 93% of his 46 pass attempts and executed seven defensive actions—including four clearances.
He also demonstrated excellent fitness levels, covering 10.4km (according to FotMob) and reaching a maximum speed of 32.7 km/h.
3. Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth)
One of the weekend's most spectacular strikes came from midfielder Tyler Adams—a player who had only recently opened his Premier League scoring account.
With Bournemouth already ahead 1–0 at a waterlogged Sunderland, Adams burst forward on the break and surged into the opposition half at speed with possession, before raising his eyes to notice goalkeeper Robin Roefs positioned well off his goal line.
He then delivered a magnificently executed chip over the Dutchman's head from a remarkable 47.4 yards—only former USMNT keeper Tim Howard has ever found the net from greater distance with his incredible wind-assisted strike for Everton against Bolton Wanderers in 2012.
Unfortunately for Adams and Bournemouth, their 2–0 advantage disappeared and they suffered a 3–2 loss—not the outcome the central midfielder hoped for while marking just his ninth goal for club and country across 350 matches.
2. Weston McKennie (Juventus)
Juventus required a confidence lift following three consecutive draws under new manager Luciano Spalletti and they achieved it with a dramatic 3–2 Champions League victory over Norway's Bodø/Glimt.
After conceding an early goal, Juventus leveled the contest at one apiece in the 48th minute through Loïs Openda, before Weston McKennie netted his inaugural goal of the campaign to give the Italian club a 2–1 lead in the 59th minute.
Despite the Norwegians equalizing in the 87th minute, Juventus managed to claim all three points courtesy of an injury-time winner from another Concacaf representative—Canada's Jonathan David.
McKennie also dominated aerial battles with nine successful duels, generated three scoring chances and backed up the strong performance with another solid outing in Juve's 2–1 triumph over Cagliari.
1. Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven)
Ricardo Pepi featured just once for the USMNT during the 2025 calendar year—but it's evident the 22-year-old is doing everything possible to secure a place in Pochettino's World Cup squad.
Pepi increased his season total to five goals across all competitions, finding the net in the 3–0 Eredivisie victory over Volendam, though it was the pure excellence of his strike that will capture Pochettino's attention.
With the ball falling over his shoulder, Pepi delivered a spectacular bicycle kick to establish a 2–0 lead after just 24 minutes—the ideal follow-up to his sixth-minute assist for Joey Veerman's opening goal.
He appeared unsurprised by his achievement when celebrating—though anything seems achievable for a player who scored 17 goals last season and maintains a solid scoring rate for USMNT throughout his career (13 goals in 34 appearances).