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Time is running out for players hoping to earn a spot on the U.S. men's national team for the 2026 World Cup, as head coach Mauricio Pochettino is scheduled to announce his 26-man squad at a New York City event on May 26.
As European seasons began wrapping up this weekend, with Haji Wright and Coventry City clinching the EFL Championship title and earning Premier League promotion, matches continued across the rest of Europe and MLS.
Among the players considered near-certainties for the roster, Folarin Balogun netted for Monaco, marking his ninth game with at least one goal in his last 10 Ligue 1 outings, while Christian Pulisic's drought without a goal extended to a concerning 17 matches with AC Milan. Sergiño Dest also made his return from injury with PSV Eindhoven, while potential call-up Sebastian Berhalter contributed another set-piece assist for Vancouver Whitecaps.
With another week of action in the books, Sports Illustrated highlights the top three U.S. players who made an impression.
Diego Luna
Diego Luna has been in outstanding form for Real Salt Lake since recovering from an early-season injury, tallying three goals and three assists across his last five matches. Yet it was his display in this weekend's 2–0 victory over the Portland Timbers that reminded many of the distinctive qualities he could bring to the USMNT, should he be selected for the World Cup.
At just 22 years old, Luna has rapidly emerged as a leader within an exciting and youthful MLS squad. His dribbling ability, however, is what truly sets him apart. By keeping the ball tight to his feet and taking short, rapid steps, he poses a constant threat to defenders, all while keeping his head up to find passing options, as he demonstrated in his 100th RSL appearance this weekend.
In the play below, Luna begins with a quick look around to ensure he's found space before his teammate regains possession. Once the ball reaches his feet, he wastes no time driving forward, continuously scanning for options and reading the developing play. He then plays a sharp pass to Juan Manuel Sanabria before continuing his run in behind the defender and finishing with a first-time shot.
Juanma and Diego are making it look too easy 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/MLuNQeLttM
And then there was this clever dribble as well—if only he'd converted it.
Imagine if Diego Luna had finished this😳 pic.twitter.com/2XnWEwqeG2
While the USMNT boasts a deeper player pool than at any previous point, no other player offers quite the same skillset or style as Luna. Though he struggled to make a decisive impact in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final against Mexico, he could prove to be a valuable weapon off the bench at the World Cup—particularly against Group D opponents who fall outside the world's top tier.
Joe Scally
Joe Scally typically operates as a right back or right wingback for Borussia Mönchengladbach, but this week he was deployed on the left side and held that unfamiliar role for the full 90 minutes, excelling throughout.
The 23-year-old helped his team to a 1–0 upset victory over second-placed Borussia Dortmund, while showcasing his potential flexibility in terms of which flank he can operate on. Already a versatile option at wingback or fullback, if Pochettino chooses a three or four-man defensive line, the ability to play on the left could make Scally an indispensable part of the World Cup squad.
While questions have lingered over his attacking output as a wingback, his defensive capabilities may well outweigh those concerns. At the same time, he has demonstrated greater offensive intent throughout this campaign, registering two goals and three assists, while also putting a shot on target and completing three dribbles in this weekend's victory.
With consistent starts in the Bundesliga against top-quality attackers, Scally's reputation continues to grow week by week, and this latest performance was no exception, leaving him in excellent form as the squad announcement approaches.
Ricardo Pepi
The competition for the USMNT's starting striker role is intensifying in the final weeks before the World Cup, and Ricardo Pepi is firmly in the mix for that spot—particularly if the decision were based on goal output alone.
Na een halve minuut komt PSV al op voorsprong via Ricardo Pepi!🤯#ajapsv pic.twitter.com/O05F9ERxv8
This weekend, the 23-year-old found the net in PSV Eindhoven's 2–2 draw against Dutch rivals Ajax, opening the scoring inside the first minute to bring his tally to 14 league goals and 17 across all competitions in 31 appearances this season.
While his finishing ability remains his standout quality, the match also highlighted improvements in his defensive work, as he completed a tackle and made three recoveries, showing growth on that side of the game—an area that had previously limited his opportunities in high-pressure situations with the USMNT.