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Sports Illustrated recently launched a new weekly feature breaking down the soccer weekend through the lens of the U.S. men's and women's national teams (check out the opening editions here, here and here).
The clock is ticking toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the USMNT just nine weeks out from their opening match. Manager Mauricio Pochettino hopes to lock in his tournament squad by May to spare players the agony of late cuts. While that's an admirable goal, the state of Pochettino's roster appears to be shifting by the hour, and this week's return to club action made that abundantly clear. The Argentine manager likely spent much of the week hunched over the drawing board in frustration.
Here's our stock up, stock down breakdown for the men in Stars and Stripes.
USMNT Stock Up
Sebastian Berhalter
Sebastian Berhalter was outstanding—borderline heroic—in the midfield for the Vancouver Whitecaps upon his return to MLS action this week, helping the Canadian club secure a dramatic 3–2 stoppage-time victory over rivals Portland Timbers on Saturday.
Despite logging 78 minutes in the USMNT's 2–0 defeat to fifth-ranked Portugal on March 31, Berhalter came back to MLS looking rejuvenated.
After contributing steadily throughout the full 90 minutes against the Timbers, the 24-year-old stepped up in the dying moments of stoppage time. As Portland surged forward on the counter, Berhalter executed a clean but firm tackle in the final third to win back possession for Vancouver. German star and teammate Thomas Müller advanced the ball up the pitch, while Berhalter made a driving run toward goal. A blocked shot ricocheted to the edge of the box, where Berhalter pounced and fired a first-time effort into the net.
Something about Sebastian Berhalter and stoppage time tackles 😶🌫️ pic.twitter.com/HJRDEaYusb
Chris Brady
Chris Brady, a reserve goalkeeper for the USMNT, impressed upon returning to club duty. The Chicago Fire shot-stopper came in with fresh legs, having been left out of both of the USMNT's March friendlies; but after Brady's standout performance on Saturday, Pochettino may reconsider the 22-year-old's standing in the pecking order.
He was awarded both Man of the Match and a spot on the MLS Team of the Matchday after recording his third clean sheet of the season in a 1–0 win over Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC, a team renowned for their attacking threat. Brady produced four crucial saves, highlighted by tipping Hany Mukhtar's upper-90 free kick over the bar in the 74th minute.
Big time save for Chris Brady ‼️
Chicago is trying to maintain the clean sheet late.
📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/cwlwVpaYyT pic.twitter.com/V7mQLd3mkJ
Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie, the USMNT's standout midfielder, enjoyed an impressive week with Juventus, claiming Man of the Match honors after netting the second goal in a 2–0 Serie A victory over Genoa.
The 27-year-old sparked a swift counterattack in the 17th minute before eventually hammering a first-time finish into the net from a cross inside the box, bringing his Serie A tally to five goals this season—matching a career high he set back in the 2020–21 campaign. He still has seven Serie A matches remaining to surpass that benchmark.
The strike was McKennie's ninth goal across all competitions this season, a total that includes four in UEFA Champions League play.
Weston McKennie is the Panini Player of the Match! 🏆#JuveGenoa pic.twitter.com/lT9Hqlvw6a
USMNT Stock Down
Patrick Agyemang
USMNT forward Patrick Agyemang suffered a severe Achilles tendon injury on Monday, being stretchered off during Derby County's Championship clash against Stoke City, effectively ruling him out of this summer's World Cup.
The 25-year-old, who appeared in both of the USMNT's March friendlies and even grabbed a late goal in the 5–2 loss to Belgium, had appeared to be in contention for a spot on Pochettino's final World Cup squad; however, he will now be unable to recover in time.
It would have been a remarkable story for Agyemang to make his World Cup debut, given his extraordinary path to the top. His rapid rise began in college, where he played at the Division III level for Eastern Connecticut State University just five years ago. With his youth on his side, Agyemang is expected to return to the USMNT fold down the line.
Pochettino will now need to reassess his striker options, with Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi the most likely candidates to fill the void.
Christian Pulisic
The USMNT's talisman continues his downward spiral. As if his goal drought wasn't damaging enough to his confidence, forward Christian Pulisic was dropped from the starting lineup at Serie A club AC Milan on Monday, coming off the bench in the 74th minute only to watch his side fall 1–0 to Napoli.
Pulisic, affectionately nicknamed "Captain America," has now gone 16 games without a goal across all competitions. He still boasts eight goals and three assists for his Serie A club this season, largely thanks to a prolific autumn, and had been a regular starter heading into Monday's fixture.
The star attacker will need to shake off his slump and rediscover his attacking instincts, with just nine weeks remaining before the FIFA World Cup gets underway.
Cristian Roldan
Cristian Roldan, the Seattle Sounders' captain and midfield anchor as well as a fringe USMNT player, was unable to inspire his MLS side on Wednesday, as they were beaten 2–0 by Liga MX outfit Tigres UANL in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals.
Roldan, who picked up a yellow card in the feisty encounter, struggled notably with his long-ball distribution, completing just four of seven attempted aerial passes.
The 30-year-old will get another opportunity against Tigres UANL when the Sounders host the Liga MX side in the second leg next Wednesday; however, his recent struggles are unlikely to impress Pochettino, who has yet to make Roldan a consistent fixture in his plans.