The players who could challenge for places in the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup squad

It’s been driven home throughout the past year-and-a-half that the U.S. has one of the most youthful teams among the top 30 in FIFA’s world rankings. As a result, many of the players who represented the nation in Qatar will still be in contention for roster consideration in three and a half years. However, 11 men from the 26 selected this time around will turn 30 by the conclusion of 2026, leaving plenty of spaces potentially up for grabs.

With that in mind, here’s a provisional guide to more than 30 players who watched the tournament from afar this year but are worth tracking over the next few years. We’ll start with the team’s biggest area of need.

Strikers

Ever since Jozy Altidore last appeared for the U.S. in 2019, the team has been begging for someone to prove themselves worthy of being their first-choice striker. It was arguably the biggest storyline during this current cycle, only rivaled by the program’s youth movement. From the 2022 World Cup roster, Haji Wright (24 years old) may have a chance to bring a veteran presence if he continues scoring in Turkey, while Josh Sargent (22) will begin the new cycle in pole position to lead the line after starting twice in Qatar. Unfortunately for Jesús Ferreira (21), his struggles over the past few months leave his status for debate — although he has plenty of time to show why he was a regular starter for Berhalter before the tournament.

The dearth of striker options was universal in 2022 for the U.S., regardless of the age level. Take, for example, the U-20s, who won the CONCACAF U-20 Championship to simultaneously clinch a return to the Olympics in 2024 and a place in the U-20 World Cup… but they played midfielders Paxten Aaronson and Niko Tsakiris as false nines in the semifinal and final, respectively. 

Ricardo Pepi, 19 years old, FC Groningen (on loan from Augsburg)

No player off the World Cup roster saw his name trend on Twitter more frequently during (and after) the U.S.’s run in Qatar than Pepi. The most successful striker in qualifying narrowly missed the squad despite rediscovering his scoring form with Groningen. He should challenge Sargent from the offset for the No. 9 shirt, with his time in the Netherlands adding good final-third interplay to go along with his reading of the game, his pressing ability and rediscovered finishing chops.

Daryl Dike, 22, West Bromwich Albion 

“What if?” scenarios surround Dike at this stage of his career, largely due to his unavailability since the 2021 Gold Cup. The former Orlando City striker earned a move to West Brom in January but has been limited to just four appearances all year due to recurring leg muscle injuries. Like Sargent and Pepi, his blend of goalscoring prowess and pressing acumen would make him ideal for the modern game if he can exterminate his injury bug. In fact, it’s reasonable to wonder if he would have been the best all-around option for 2022 had he been healthy throughout the past 12 months.

Brandon Vazquez, 24, FC CincinnatiVazquez has been a standout since Cincinnati acquired him for just $150,000 of allocation money ahead of 2020. The Chula Vista, California native is hard to muscle off the ball with his broad shoulders and ability to position his body to shield off opponents. Having represented the U.S. up to the U-20 level, He’ll hope to build on a breakout 2022 (18 goals, after previously logging nine across five MLS seasons) to show that he’s the consistent goalscorer this program so sorely needs.

Beyond those three, the options get much more prospective. Matthew Hoppe (21) gained cult hero status during the 2021 Gold Cup, but a few head-scratching club moves have left him buried deep on Middlesbrough’s bench. Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun (21) has U.S. eligibility but has represented England at every major youth international level and could also represent Nigeria, if so interested. He expects to make a decision soon regarding his international career, but with eight goals in 15 Ligue 1 appearances for Reims, he would quickly rise to the upper tier of the U.S.’s striker pool.

Cade Cowell (19) has plenty of promise but largely features on the wing for the San Jose Earthquakes and has yet to turn his skill set into regular MLS goal contributions. Darren Yapi (18) is green, but could be in an ideal club situation to get minutes soon with Colorado. It’s early, but unless Pepi, Sargent or Dike settle into consistent goalscoring status in Europe, we may be in for another four years of playing the hot hand.

Attacking midfielders and wingers

This is arguably the very lowest area of need when looking at the current roster. Christian Pulisic (24) and Tim Weah (22) gave no reason to rotate out of the lineup, leaving Dortmund regular Giovanni Reyna (20) and Leeds starter Brenden Aaronson (22) as bench options. Keep in mind, however, that Jordan Morris will be 31 in 2026 and a different coach may be more inclined to shift Weah to striker if the futility up top continues.

Malik Tillman, 20, Rangers (on loan from Bayern Munich)

One among the shortlist of debatable roster snubs for this World Cup. Tillman committed to the U.S. and earned four caps in the summer friendlies after representing Germany through the U-21 level. He’s gotten regular minutes this year with Rangers and featured in their Champions League group stage matches. He, like many young American players, have yet to establish permanent residence in any specific role, with the caveat that he also has the potential to fit in as a finesse striker.

Richy Ledezma, 22, PSV Eindhoven

Ledezma finally made a long-awaited emergence with PSV this season, landing him back on the radar of El Tri due to his dual nationality. A sharp chance creator with a precocious eye for dangerous passes, Ledezma’s work rate would make him an ideal addition alongside similarly industrious Pulisic and Aaronson. He has one U.S. cap to his name, where he logged two assists in just 22 minutes off the bench against Panama in November 2020.

Paxten Aaronson, 19, Eintracht Frankfurt

Among the standouts in the U-20 Championship, Aaronson made a $4 million move to Eintracht Frankfurt after the MLS season. Capable of playing out wide, but likely best as a second striker or No. 10, the quickest summary of what differentiates his game from brother Brenden’s is trading some of the elder’s physicality for more incisive distribution and a bit more accuracy in his shooting. He’ll need some time to adapt to Germany, but this move already has him in a high-level environment to begin working to turn a U-20 golden ball performance into senior-level prominence.

Look beyond Aaronson on the U-20 roster and you’ll find another trio of promising prospects. Quinn Sullivan (22) could see a further increase in his minutes with Philadelphia after Aaronson’s departure, having landed on the CONCACAF U-20 Championship best XI and making 38 MLS appearances over the last two seasons. 

Caden Clark (23) broke out with the New York Red Bulls in 2020 but his career stalled out after a couple of loans with the MLS side after a transfer to RB Leipzig. Diego Luna (22) is a vivacious competitor on the ball who moved from El Paso Locomotive to Real Salt Lake over the summer. Both Clark and Luna rose through the Barcelona Residency Academy in Arizona, showing another path to development in the country beyond MLS academies.

Central midfielders

It’s hard to see any of Yunus Musah (20), Weston McKennie (24) and Tyler Adams (23) supplanted from first-choice standing between now and 2026. That said, a lot can change in a four-year span, injuries are always unpredictable, and the depth beyond them was limited in Qatar as Luca de la Torre (24) went unused due to lingering fitness issues of his own.

Gianluca Busio, 20, Venezia

In hindsight, Busio arguably should have been on the World Cup roster over the hobbled De la Torre. The Greensboro native stuck around with Venezia after their relegation to Serie B and is no longer a regular starter, but has everything necessary to be a top-level deep-lying playmaker. His club situation could use a swift improvement, but his touch on the ball, line-breaking passing ability and free kick prowess should keep him in the pool, even as he gets infrequent club starts.

Johnny Cardoso, 21, InternacionalBorn in New Jersey but raised in Brazil, Johnny has four senior caps for the U.S. since debuting in 2020. He could be a strong contender to challenge Kellyn Acosta (27) as Adams’ alternative at defensive midfield. He isn’t just a holding option, though, as his upbringing as a striker makes him a sharp option for a late run into the box or a shot from deep. Still, his biggest boost to the pool would be his line-breaking passing and tenacious approach to cutting out passing angles.

Jack McGlynn, 19, Philadelphia Union

Largely featuring over Paxten Aaronson in the Union’s four-man diamond midfield this year, McGlynn fared well in an MLS Cup start to cap off the season. He could be in line for more than the 1,003 regular-season minutes he logged in 2022 — even if Alejandro Bedoya comes back for another season at age 36. Like many Union products, McGlynn’s high work rate stands out alongside his tidy passing game and improving defensive chops. One would suspect he’ll get a move away from MLS sooner than later, having signed with Roc Nation Sports as the first MLS player among the Jay-Z-founded agency’s clientele.

Taylor Booth, 21, FC Utrecht

After coming through RSL’s academy, Booth has emerged with two goals in nine games with FC Utrecht. The midfielder made a move away from Bayern Munich over the summer, and has handled the adjustment to regular Eredivisie minutes well. Booth has impressive pace and work rate from his development as a right wing back, bringing a marauder’s dribbling prowess into the heart of the pitch to great success.

Among domestic options, Eryk Williamson (25) and Paxton Pomykal (22) were in the broader player pool for the bygone cycle and could inherit the box-to-box role filled by Cristian Roldan (27) this term. The cousin of Queen Latifah, Williamson was part of the 2021 Gold Cup-winning squad and impressed upon returning from an ACL surgery. Similarly, Pomykal had a stretch of promising seasons interrupted by a knee injury in 2020. He successfully stayed healthy for the full 2022 season and is a well-rounded midfielder who is capable of breaking lines with his passing and tracking back to defend in the final third when needed.

Full backs

This is another area of relative strength for the U.S. Antonee Robinson (25) and Sergiño Dest (22) are pretty safe bets to remain the first choice pairing ahead of 2026, while Joe Scally (19) is already a Bundesliga regular despite failing to feature in Qatar. 

John Tolkin, 20, New York Red Bulls

The Chatham, New Jersey native has made 53 starts over the past two seasons for his home-state club, truly showcasing his potential over a breakout 2022. Tolkin plays with a high-octane work rate which makes him an endearing figure, while his initial upbringing as a midfielder gives him impressive tricks and playmaking potential around the opponent’s box. However, he’s more than an attacker out of position, as the Red Bulls have helped him improve his defensive positioning while enabling him to push transition play on the break.

Kevin Paredes, 19, VfL Wolfsburg

Paredes is starting to get a run-out with Wolfsburg after leaving boyhood club D.C. United last winter. He moved away from MLS for over $7 million after quickly becoming one of its best two-way left backs in 2021, averaging over six progressive carries per 90 alongside 18.9 defensive pressures per 90. Wolfsburg also gave him his first Bundesliga start at left midfield, but he missed the final four matches before the World Cup with calf problems. Still, he may be the most well-rounded option and ought to get a look as the U.S. finds a stable backup for Robinson.

Justin Che, 19, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (on loan from FC Dallas)

Che didn’t stick with Bayern Munich after spending the first half of 2021 with their II team, but a move to Hoffenheim has him getting more consistent minutes. At 6-foot-1, Che brings size out wide alongside his impressive pace and improving tackling ability. He’s regularly starting at right back and right midfield for the Bundesliga side’s second team and could find his permanent move away from FC Dallas at the end of a one-year loan.

Che would be the latest Dallas product to make the leap abroad, following the path previously traveled by occasional 2022 qualifying roster member Reggie Cannon (24) and Bryan Reynolds (21), who is getting regular starts on loan at Belgian side KVC Westerlo after being an underutilized reserve with AS Roma. Cannon was overlooked for DeAndre Yedlin and Shaq Moore in Berhalter’s final World Cup roster, but has amassed 28 caps and is looking comfortable in his third season with Boavista in Portugal. Still, right back is in pretty good shape with Dest and Scally having already established themselves in Europe’s best leagues.

The U.S. was able to exit the World Cup without needing to call upon a backup option for Robinson, but the margins are incredibly fine when a position’s depth chart is one-man deep. George Bello (20) already has seven senior caps to his name, but he’s become a rotational figure with second-division Arminia Bielefeld. Jonathan Gómez (19) made a move from USL side Louisville City to Real Sociedad’s B-team over the summer, and has already represented both the U.S. and Mexico at the senior international level.

Center backs

While striker became the team’s most glaring problem area, the 2022 cycle was also characterized by a never-ending rotation of center backs. Walker Zimmerman (29) had a mixed tournament in Qatar after anchoring the team through qualifying, and he could be aged out along with Ream, depending on the progression of a few key players. This group is headlined by a pair who almost certainly would have made the roster for Qatar if they’d been healthy for selection.

Miles Robinson, 25, Atlanta United

Robinson was a regular starter in qualifying alongside Zimmerman and had an unforgettable winner against Mexico in the Nations League, but he will be worth monitoring as he comes back from an Achilles tear with Atlanta. He also has the type of pace which was sorely lacking against the Netherlands, as well as being one of the pool’s biggest threats in the air to help amend the team’s frequent struggles on set pieces. If he can return to his caliber before the injury, he should be a front-runner to start for the U.S. regularly for the upcoming cycle.

Chris Richards, 22, Crystal Palace

Like Robinson, Richards is a favorite to be a fixture in the U.S. backline for years to come. A great athlete, he is also one of the best passing center backs in the pool and earned a Premier League move thanks to consistent play with Hoffenheim last season. Injuries have kept him from adding to his three league appearances for Palace, but he’s a great fit for Patrick Vieira’s ideology and should be part of the club’s ongoing youth revolution once he’s at 100 percent.

Auston Trusty, 24, Birmingham City (on loan from Arsenal)

Trusty’s move away from Colorado was initially panned by Arsenal fans, seen as little more than Stan Kroenke trying to move a player from one of his clubs to another for maximum financial opportunity. However, the center back was nominated for EFL Championship player of the month in October as he has capably anchored Birmingham City’s backline in his first season abroad. Whether or not he’ll ever crack a Mikel Arteta side remains to be determined, but he hasn’t looked out of place in a competitive league, is a rare left-footed defender in this U.S. pool and is as comfortable with the ball at his feet as he is playing in the air.

Joshua Wynder (17) seems likely to follow Gómez in making a move from Louisville to Europe in the near future. He earned 1,744 minutes for one of the American second-division’s very best clubs, and is likely to command a seven-figure fee with Champions League suitors in the mix. Already boasting European seasoning, James Sands (22) and Mark McKenzie (23) featured in qualifying under Berhalter and are regulars for Rangers and Genk, respectively. Both are capable ball-playing defenders who are able to distribute from deep and keep stride with quicker opponents.

Goalkeepers

Zack Steffen, 27, Middlesbrough (on loan from Manchester City)

It’s unlikely that we’ve seen the last of Steffen, who has 29 caps and spent most of this cycle as the top option between the posts before Matt Turner (28) emerged as the more dependable keeper. Steffen has struggled since finishing his loan with Düsseldorf in 2019-20, and will hope to start the new cycle on the right foot as Middlesbrough’s starter. He has shown both the shot-stopping prowess and ability to play out of the back necessary for modern goalkeepers; the issue these days has been his wild inconsistency after effectively losing two seasons as Ederson’s understudy.

Gabriel ‘Gaga’ Slonina, 18, Chelsea 

At a remarkably young age for the position, Slonina has already turned solid MLS pay into a $10 million-plus move to Chelsea. He was among the league’s best keepers during the first half of 2022 before some youthful mistakes plagued him down the home stretch. Nevertheless, The Athletic’s resident goalkeeping expert, Matt Pyzdrowski, deems him the men’s national team’s “greatest goalkeeping talent in nearly two decades.”

Slonina’s move away from Chicago opens a path to regular starts for U-20 starter Chris Brady (18). While a couple months older than Slonina, Brady made his MLS debut in the team’s season finale. Fellow Illinois native Roman Celentano (22) impressed in his first season with FC Cincinnati, while Raleigh-born Chituru Odunze (20) regularly starts for Leicester City’s U-21s after earning his first spot in a U.S. senior camp in late 2020. 

(Photo: ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images)