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It was quite an eventful week for players of the U.S. men's national team, with standout performances across Europe, major opportunities on the big stage, and fresh accolades being earned.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has reason to be pleased with his squad's overall form, particularly with Concacaf Nations League action just under a month away; that said, not every American player is living up to expectations.
Below is Sports Illustrated's weekly stock up, stock down breakdown for USMNT players.
USMNT Stock Up
Yunus Musah
Pochettino recently brought Yunus Musah back into the fold, and the AC Milan midfielder is making sure the coach won't overlook him again anytime soon.
After being a regular starter at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and a key figure in the USMNT's midfield, Musah dropped off Pochettino's radar for more than a year—missing out entirely on the 2026 home World Cup—before earning his recall this past fall. He started and played over an hour in the opening friendly against Peru, building a solid partnership with captain Tyler Adams in the midfield double pivot; however, both his playing time and influence faded in the games that followed.
He returned to the starting eleven for the final friendly against Canada, but was substituted off after a flat 45 minutes in which he registered just 20 touches on the ball.
Following that final outing, Pochettino may have written Musah off entirely; however, the 23-year-old is now mounting a compelling case to be reconsidered.
Musah has been outstanding this season for AC Milan and most recently helped the Rossoneri claim a 3–2 victory over his former club Atalanta on Sunday. Starting in midfield alongside Luka Modrić, Musah posted a remarkable 98% passing accuracy, completing 54 of 55 attempted passes, and contributed four defensive actions, including two tackles.
He will look to keep up his strong form in Milan's starting lineup—his first consistent starting role since 2022 with La Liga's Valencia—and wait for Pochettino's call next month.
Tim Weah
La performance XXL de Tim Weah contre Angers 🔥🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/0W34uLPjsg
On the subject of making an impression, 26-year-old wingback Tim Weah is currently working hard to recapture Pochettino's attention.
Once a reliable starter on the USMNT's right flank—including at the 2022 World Cup—Weah played a limited role at this summer's tournament. He came on as a late substitute in the opener against Paraguay and featured for just under an hour in the dead rubber against Türkiye, without making an appearance off the bench during the knockout rounds.
Pochettino then left Weah out of his September-October squad, which may signal a shift in direction.
Weah isn't going away quietly, though. Playing as a right fullback for club side Marseille, he helped them to an impressive 5–2 win over Ligue 1 opponents Angers on Sunday. Weah was a constant threat down the right flank, contributing two assists and delivering seven passes into the final third, while also registering seven defensive actions and four key recoveries, including a highlight-worthy slide tackle. He won every ground duel he contested and was named Fotmob's Man of the Match.
The USMNT may have solid depth on the right side with the likes of Alex Freeman, Sergiño Dest, and now Cavan Sullivan; however, if Weah can sustain that level of all-around performance, Pochettino will have little choice but to keep dressing him in red, white and blue.
Matt Turner
The situation surrounding Matt Turner remains uncertain. He could be the top goalkeeper in all of Major League Soccer week after week, and Pochettino may still never summon him again.
Turner served as backup to Matt Freese this summer; however, with an eye toward the 2030 World Cup, Pochettino has been focused on identifying younger options who could hit their peak in four years' time. The Argentine manager called up four goalkeepers this fall, none older than 28, leaving 32-year-old Turner out of the picture.
In the meantime, Turner continues to excel at the club level. He has been instrumental in the New England Revolution's climb up the Eastern Conference standings this season. Having already secured a playoff berth, the third-placed Revolution sit just one win behind second-placed Inter Miami.
Most recently, he produced six saves to seal a tight but crucial 1–0 win over fourth-placed Chicago Fire on Saturday, preventing 1.21 expected goals. He also recorded 10 recoveries, commanding his 18-yard box with authority.
Cat-like reflexes from Matt Turner 🙀#NEvCHI pic.twitter.com/F96EVexG9o
Perhaps Turner's most impressive stop came in the 47th minute, when he initially dove low to deal with a driven shot from outside the box. At the last moment, however, a Fire attacker got a touch on his teammate's effort to redirect the ball over Turner's head. The goalkeeper reacted instantly, flinging his hand up to make the save even as he was still falling to the ground. He was named Player of the Match and earned a spot in MLS's Team of the Matchday.
Even if Pochettino doesn't factor Turner into his long-term plans, whether he can afford to leave him out in the short term remains an open question.
USMNT Stock Down
Chris Richards
This weekend, Chris Richards may have been reminded of that painful summer day in Seattle against Belgium.
The USMNT suffered a humiliating 4–1 defeat to the European side in the World Cup round of 16 back in July, crashing out of the competition. Richards's result with Crystal Palace this weekend was even more difficult to stomach.
The Eagles were hammered 5–0 by Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday, a match in which Richards struggled to hold together his three-man defensive line for the full 90 minutes. Yet much like the Belgium game, the blame didn't fall entirely on his shoulders. In fact, the 26-year-old led the match with 13 defensive contributions and won all three of his aerial duels, suggesting the scoreline could have been considerably worse for the visitors.
Nonetheless, it was the heaviest defeat Richards and his teammates had endured in 18 months, matching the 5–0 loss to Newcastle back in April 2025. Palace now sit 14th in the Premier League table, with just two wins to their name this season.
Pochettino will likely look past the result, however, recognizing that Richards remains his most reliable central defender.