USMNT Stars Shine Bright: Ranking the Top 5 Players Who Dominated This Week's World Cup 2026 Journey
The 2026 World Cup started to become more tangible for the U.S. men's national team this week, with weekend fixtures marking the first matches following the World Cup draw announcement.
With the USMNT now aware they'll compete against Australia, Paraguay and either Slovakia, Kosovo, Türkiye or Romania, preparations can genuinely commence for the tournament. Simultaneously, head coach Mauricio Pochettino can begin evaluating players who would best match up against these opponents.
This weekend witnessed the conclusion of the 2025 MLS campaign with Inter Miami claiming their inaugural MLS Cup championship, meaning no USMNT players lifted the trophy—Sebastian Berhalter, Tristan Blackmon and Brian White all featured for runners-up Vancouver Whitecaps.
Across the Atlantic however, American players continued their strong showings as they seek to impress and secure spots in the 26-man squad.
Here, Sports Illustrated evaluates the top five displays from across the world.
5. Noahkai Banks (Augsburg)
Noahkai Banks remains on the periphery for USMNT center-back consideration, but the 19-year-old delivered a solid showing for Augsburg this weekend.
Embroiled in a relegation fight at the Bundesliga's bottom, Augsburg stunned fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen 2–0 and compatriot Malik Tillman, with Banks contributing to the shutout as part of a three-man defense.
More likely a prospect for the 2030 World Cup rather than 2026, he topped the match statistics by winning eight duels, while also delivering five passes into the attacking third.
4. Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven)
Ricardo Pepi earned consecutive starts for PSV Eindhoven for the first time in months and maintained his recent scoring streak with a goal in the 2–0 victory over Heerenveen. He now boasts five goals in 511 minutes in the Dutch top division this season, and appears to have re-established himself as a dependable option in the squad alongside Guus Til.
With this positive momentum, Pepi will aim to retain his position for the season's remainder and enter his probable World Cup selection in excellent form. Fellow American Sergiño Dest also featured and contributed to the clean sheet.
3. Josh Sargent (Norwich City)
Josh Sargent's standing in the USMNT striker competition has declined since the 2022 World Cup, and to secure his place in the 2026 squad, he'll need to find the net more frequently.
The American forward ended a 14-match scoring drought with a goal in a 3–2 defeat to Watford in the Championship, taking his tally to six goals and three assists across 19 appearances this campaign.
Sargent was absent from the USMNT's October and November squads, but might earn inclusion in the March friendlies, which represent the final evaluations before the pre-World Cup period in June.
2. Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
The second-most positive development for USMNT players this weekend involved Gio Reyna, despite not delivering a spectacular individual display. Rather, his inclusion in Borussia Mönchengladbach's starting eleven twice was promising.
Reyna, who found the net during his November USMNT comeback, featured for 68 minutes against St. Pauli and three days afterward, started once more in a 1–0 triumph over bottom-placed Mainz on Friday, where he played 69 minutes and won five of eight challenges.
Among the most technically gifted players in the USMNT pool, Reyna will seek to cement himself as a consistent starter through December and beyond, aiming not only to make Pochettino's roster but also to earn starting positions.
1. Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
Christian Pulisic extended his remarkable season with AC Milan on Monday, entering as a substitute to net a decisive brace in a 3–2 victory over Torino
Pulisic now possesses 13 league goals for the Rossoneri in 2025, the highest total he's achieved in a single calendar year throughout his club career, a figure he can increase with three weeks remaining in 2025.
These strikes also drew him level with Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez atop the Serie A Golden Boot standings on seven goals, with the USMNT star holding the edge, having accomplished this feat in five fewer appearances.
Scoring at a rate of one goal every 64 minutes in Serie A, it has been a phenomenal period for Pulisic in the opening half of the 2025-26 season and he will aim to maintain this momentum into the summer and the World Cup.
"Two days ago I was bedridden with illness, but I felt significantly better today and I'm delighted I came here and could assist the team," Pulisic told Sky Sport Italia following the match, having endured multiple setbacks this season. "I was uncertain yesterday whether I could participate, but this morning I felt much improved. I'm more pleased with the victory than the goals, honestly.
"It has been quite an unusual season. I do desire to build more match sharpness. We must approach it one fixture at a time and then assess our position at season's end."