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Only four weekends stand between now and the moment U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino takes the stage at a New York City event to announce the 26-man roster that will carry the Stars and Stripes into the 2026 FIFA World Cup on American soil.
As the clock winds down toward the May 26 roster reveal, windows for players to make their mark in Europe, MLS, and elsewhere are rapidly closing, making every single match crucial for those hoping to earn a spot in the final selection.
The most recent round of club fixtures delivered standout showings from around the world, including Brenden Aaronson creating multiple opportunities in Leeds United's FA Cup semifinal defeat to Chelsea and Brian White finding the net in MLS action. However, the week also brought an end to Folarin Balogun's remarkable scoring run in Ligue 1, as he fell short of netting in a ninth-consecutive match — a record previously held by Zlatan Ibrahimović (AC Milan, 2021).
With another week of club football in the books, Sports Illustrated highlights the top three U.S. players of the week.
Alex Freeman
The USMNT's defensive shape at the World Cup remains undecided, but when it comes to the right back or right wing back position, Alex Freeman is building a compelling argument not only for a roster spot, but for a place in the starting eleven.
This past weekend, the former Orlando City standout delivered his finest performance for Villarreal since his January move to Spain. Starting in La Liga for the first time, the 21-year-old completed the full 90 minutes, contributing key overlapping runs to overload the right flank alongside Nicolas Pepé, who scored and claimed Man of the Match honors.
While Freeman's numbers — 11 defensive contributions and five successful tackles from five attempts — are eye-catching, it was his presence along the wing and his ability to shift centrally that truly drove his success.
🛡️ ¡Providencial Alex Freeman!#VillarrealCelta | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/nxYxWgyfsY
His finest moment arrived in the 86th minute, when he demonstrated a textbook build-up from deep to ignite a late offensive push. Having been more direct in the earlier stages of the match, he quickly illustrated his ability to orchestrate interplay in tight triangles and pick out teammates bursting in behind the defensive line.
Operating along the touchline, he made sharp adjustments off short passes, scanned the available space efficiently, and ultimately broke out of the triangular pattern to thread a perfectly weighted ball through the defense.
Across his 15 international appearances with the USMNT, Freeman has offered glimpses of this dynamic style under Pochettino's guidance. With these qualities now surfacing more consistently at the top level, there is growing optimism that he can deliver for the Stars and Stripes this summer.
Matt Turner
Could Matt Turner be mounting a late charge to claim the USMNT's starting goalkeeper spot at the World Cup? His performances this season have certainly made a strong case — and this past week saw the New England Revolution shot-stopper outshine presumed starter Matt Freese of New York City FC.
On Wednesday, the experienced keeper produced eight saves in a 2–1 New England victory over Atlanta United, highlighted by a crucial diving stop at the far post in the dying moments. Then over the weekend, he turned in nine saves against Inter Miami, even keeping a frustrated Lionel Messi off the scoresheet. He conceded just once — a rebound goal to Germán Berterame — across 10 shots faced in a 1–1 draw.
Matt Turner denies a Luis Suarez golazo 🧤
📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/c7Y4rFtM36 pic.twitter.com/22zV4mBmLb
Beyond his spectacular saves, Turner completed 12 successful long balls across the two matches and made 24 recoveries, delivering a thoroughly commanding all-around display.
The 31-year-old has largely been reduced to backup duties under Pochettino following a difficult pair of outings against Panama and Canada at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League, but his recent form could make the starting goalkeeper decision considerably more complicated than many had anticipated.
Ricardo Pepi
While Balogun's scoring run came to an end in France, the weekend wasn't entirely gloomy for American strikers, as Ricardo Pepi bagged a brace in PSV Eindhoven's emphatic 6–1 victory over PEC Zwolle. The result extended PSV's advantage at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie, even with the title already secured. It also marked back-to-back goal-scoring appearances for the U.S. forward.
Ricardo Pepi kopt piekfijne voorzet van Guus Til binnen! 🚂#spapsv pic.twitter.com/6ZC67AWfhB
Pepi now sits at 13 goals and an assist in just 1,167 league minutes this season, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the USMNT player pool, alongside Balogun. That said, PSV's dominance in the Eredivisie limits his exposure to the kind of defensive workload Pochettino demands from his strikers — a requirement that simply doesn't apply at club level in the Netherlands.
Nevertheless, any goalscoring momentum is a positive sign for the U.S., and there will be plenty of hope that he can carry that clinical edge into the national team setup in the coming weeks.