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USMNT Predicted Starting XI for 2026 World Cup
Posted on 7/12/25 at 3:54 pm
Posted on 7/12/25 at 3:54 pm
I asked ChatGPT.
Thoughts?
Below is a snapshot of the current writers’-consensus “best XI” for the U.S. men’s national team if the 2026 World Cup kicked off today (July 12 - 13 2025). Think of it as a temperature check, not a guarantee: form, fitness and--yes--a whole club season still to play will keep this fluid.
Position Player (Club, Age summer ’26) Why he’s penciled in
GK Matt Freese (NYCFC, 27) Surged past Matt Turner with standout Gold Cup; distribution suits Pochettino’s press + build-out style.
NBC Sports
RB Sergiño Dest (PSV, 25) Automatic when healthy; attacking outlet, inverted into midfield at times.
NBC Sports
RCB Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, 25) Regular EPL minutes, best 1-v-1 defender in pool.
NBC Sports
LCB Tim Ream (Charlotte FC, 38) Experience + left-footed build-up; still first-choice unless Father Time wins.
NBC Sports
LB Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 28) Locks down flank; progressive carries vital to USMNT width.
NBC Sports
6 Tyler Adams (Bournemouth, 27) Captain, counter-pressure anchor; fitness is only question.
NBC Sports
8 Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC, 28) Pochettino trusts his ball retention; edges Musah for now.
NBC Sports
10 Malik Tillman (PSV, 24) Break-out cycle; combines with Pulisic between the lines.
NBC Sports
RW Timothy Weah (Juventus, 26) Vertical threat, can slide to wing-back when Dest inverts.
NBC Sports
LW Christian Pulisic (AC Milan, 27) Still the talisman; decision-making improved in Serie A.
NBC Sports
ST Folarin Balogun (Monaco, 24) Leading the line after 14 goals in Ligue 1; Pepi is primary challenger.
NBC Sports
How solid are these slots?
Near-locks (barring injury): Adams, Pulisic, Dest, Robinson, Richards, Balogun.
On simmer:
Goalkeeper – Turner could still reclaim the shirt if his Nottingham Forest form rebounds.
Left-center-back – Ream’s age opens a lane for Miles Robinson or Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Free 8 role – Yunus Musah’s ball-carrying or Weston McKennie’s box-to-box engine could supplant de la Torre depending on opponent.
Wild cards to watch in 2025-26: Diego Luna (creative spark), Kevin Paredes (dual-footed winger/wing-back), Gaga Slonina (high-ceiling GK on loan from Chelsea).
Why the predictions differ among outlets
NBC Sports projection (source above) is the most conservative, valuing chemistry and Gold Cup form.
Goal.com and Bleacher Report pieces keep Matt Turner in goal and slide Musah into midfield, but their outfield XIs otherwise mirror the NBC lineup.
Goal
Bleacher Report
Fan forums (Reddit, etc.) increasingly push for Ricardo Pepi over Balogun and Gio Reyna’s creative upside—both still plausible if they string together healthy seasons.
Reddit
Big-picture takeaway
Think of the 2026 lineup as 80 % set, 20 % up for grabs. Fitness, club playing time and late-breaking dual-national commitments (hello Cavan Sullivan) will decide the final tweaks Mauricio Pochettino makes when he submits his 26-man list next May.
Use this XI as a barometer; expect at least 2-3 names above to change before the U.S. walks out in that June 12, 2026 opener in Los Angeles.
Thoughts?
Below is a snapshot of the current writers’-consensus “best XI” for the U.S. men’s national team if the 2026 World Cup kicked off today (July 12 - 13 2025). Think of it as a temperature check, not a guarantee: form, fitness and--yes--a whole club season still to play will keep this fluid.
Position Player (Club, Age summer ’26) Why he’s penciled in
GK Matt Freese (NYCFC, 27) Surged past Matt Turner with standout Gold Cup; distribution suits Pochettino’s press + build-out style.
NBC Sports
RB Sergiño Dest (PSV, 25) Automatic when healthy; attacking outlet, inverted into midfield at times.
NBC Sports
RCB Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, 25) Regular EPL minutes, best 1-v-1 defender in pool.
NBC Sports
LCB Tim Ream (Charlotte FC, 38) Experience + left-footed build-up; still first-choice unless Father Time wins.
NBC Sports
LB Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 28) Locks down flank; progressive carries vital to USMNT width.
NBC Sports
6 Tyler Adams (Bournemouth, 27) Captain, counter-pressure anchor; fitness is only question.
NBC Sports
8 Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC, 28) Pochettino trusts his ball retention; edges Musah for now.
NBC Sports
10 Malik Tillman (PSV, 24) Break-out cycle; combines with Pulisic between the lines.
NBC Sports
RW Timothy Weah (Juventus, 26) Vertical threat, can slide to wing-back when Dest inverts.
NBC Sports
LW Christian Pulisic (AC Milan, 27) Still the talisman; decision-making improved in Serie A.
NBC Sports
ST Folarin Balogun (Monaco, 24) Leading the line after 14 goals in Ligue 1; Pepi is primary challenger.
NBC Sports
How solid are these slots?
Near-locks (barring injury): Adams, Pulisic, Dest, Robinson, Richards, Balogun.
On simmer:
Goalkeeper – Turner could still reclaim the shirt if his Nottingham Forest form rebounds.
Left-center-back – Ream’s age opens a lane for Miles Robinson or Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Free 8 role – Yunus Musah’s ball-carrying or Weston McKennie’s box-to-box engine could supplant de la Torre depending on opponent.
Wild cards to watch in 2025-26: Diego Luna (creative spark), Kevin Paredes (dual-footed winger/wing-back), Gaga Slonina (high-ceiling GK on loan from Chelsea).
Why the predictions differ among outlets
NBC Sports projection (source above) is the most conservative, valuing chemistry and Gold Cup form.
Goal.com and Bleacher Report pieces keep Matt Turner in goal and slide Musah into midfield, but their outfield XIs otherwise mirror the NBC lineup.
Goal
Bleacher Report
Fan forums (Reddit, etc.) increasingly push for Ricardo Pepi over Balogun and Gio Reyna’s creative upside—both still plausible if they string together healthy seasons.
Big-picture takeaway
Think of the 2026 lineup as 80 % set, 20 % up for grabs. Fitness, club playing time and late-breaking dual-national commitments (hello Cavan Sullivan) will decide the final tweaks Mauricio Pochettino makes when he submits his 26-man list next May.
Use this XI as a barometer; expect at least 2-3 names above to change before the U.S. walks out in that June 12, 2026 opener in Los Angeles.
5
Posted on 7/12/25 at 4:11 pm to GeismarGeauxer
It’s not a bad guess if form and health stays static. I put McKennie ahead of Luca.
Paredes, Slonina, and Sullivan have almost zero chance of making the roster. Paredes has the best chance if he stays healthy and balls out this year simply because we have no winger depth, but a strong year from Cole Campbell seems equally likely. I think Mathis Albert is more likely to make the plane than Sullivan.
Noahkai Banks is my dark horse to start at left CB but Poch is pretty enamored with Ream. It’s a pretty damning reflection of our CB depth that Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson got zero playing time during the gold cup.
Paredes, Slonina, and Sullivan have almost zero chance of making the roster. Paredes has the best chance if he stays healthy and balls out this year simply because we have no winger depth, but a strong year from Cole Campbell seems equally likely. I think Mathis Albert is more likely to make the plane than Sullivan.
Noahkai Banks is my dark horse to start at left CB but Poch is pretty enamored with Ream. It’s a pretty damning reflection of our CB depth that Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson got zero playing time during the gold cup.
This post was edited on 7/12/25 at 4:12 pm
Posted on 7/12/25 at 4:51 pm to cwil177
Caleb Wiley will be the one to follow closely. Little younger than Freeman, has more experience in MLS and Europe, and impressed Watford playing LB for the short stint he had. Have a feeling he’ll breakout more this next year.
Posted on 7/12/25 at 5:23 pm to GeismarGeauxer
I don’t hate it.
Posted on 7/12/25 at 6:12 pm to Warrior Court
We are in trouble if De La Torre is starting in the World Cup.
Posted on 7/12/25 at 9:52 pm to GeismarGeauxer
Alexi Lalas and Carli Lloyd have decided Pulisic was a very bad boy this summer and should be excluded from the USMNT roster for the World Cup.
Should Poch somehow agree with these two pinnacles of football wisdom, that will save me a great deal of time and money next year.
Should Poch somehow agree with these two pinnacles of football wisdom, that will save me a great deal of time and money next year.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 4:03 pm to GeismarGeauxer
Reyna needs to start. He shows flashes and is very talented. The gold cup team isn’t getting out of the group stage and a lot of your starters were gold cup starters. No way Turner isn’t the #1 goalie in the World Cup.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 4:07 pm to Big Gorilla
Both turner and Reyna need to play if they want to start. It’s that simple.
Posted on 7/14/25 at 4:42 pm to mgdtiger
Gaga ain't gonna sniff the Team he stunk it up on at his last stop and it was blamed on a mysterious thumb injury. More likely would be third keeper the kid with the Real Madrid program if he gets loaned out.
Posted on 7/15/25 at 1:01 am to NewbombII
I think you mean Kochen at Barca
If Poch actually cared about recruiting dual nationals I would bet that Nathaniel Brown is our backup left back at the World Cup. At his current trajectory he might be good enough for Germany. I’ve heard some chatter he is leaning towards us though.
If Poch actually cared about recruiting dual nationals I would bet that Nathaniel Brown is our backup left back at the World Cup. At his current trajectory he might be good enough for Germany. I’ve heard some chatter he is leaning towards us though.
Posted on 7/16/25 at 10:16 am to cwil177
I like Tim Ream...of 5 years ago.
We need another starter in that position.
McKinnie will be in the lineup instead of LDLT.
We need another starter in that position.
McKinnie will be in the lineup instead of LDLT.
Posted on 7/16/25 at 11:35 am to GeismarGeauxer
If Agyemang is even average at Derby County, everyone needs to prepare to see him on the WC roster.
Huge target, passes other players into play, runs off the shoulder...
First touch be damned, if we need to play boot-ball, he is good at holding up play, being physical, and winning in the air. That's something nobody in the pool even has.
I personally don't want him anywhere near the starting roster, but that size/strength combo could be an excellent bench tool.
Huge target, passes other players into play, runs off the shoulder...
First touch be damned, if we need to play boot-ball, he is good at holding up play, being physical, and winning in the air. That's something nobody in the pool even has.
I personally don't want him anywhere near the starting roster, but that size/strength combo could be an excellent bench tool.
Posted on 7/16/25 at 11:55 am to DByrd2
quote:
I personally don't want him anywhere near the starting roster, but that size/strength combo could be an excellent bench tool.
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this something that Haji Wright provides too but with better ball skills, or even a healthy Dike.
Posted on 7/16/25 at 12:04 pm to lionward2014
I don't know that Haji does that. If he does, we for sure haven't seen it on the national team as he mostly plays winger there.
He is good in the air off corners usually, but he is not a massive target like Agyemang.
Dike is physical af and a load to deal with, but I don't recall him being great in the air, and he hasn't had a chance with a good squad around him to show any kind of hold up play that brings others into the fold.
He is good in the air off corners usually, but he is not a massive target like Agyemang.
Dike is physical af and a load to deal with, but I don't recall him being great in the air, and he hasn't had a chance with a good squad around him to show any kind of hold up play that brings others into the fold.
Posted on 7/16/25 at 12:08 pm to DByrd2
quote:
Dike is physical af and a load to deal with, but I don't recall him being great in the air,
His aerial skills were what made him so special during his loan in Barnsley forever ago. Poor guy could have been a major player in our weak striker pool if he hadn't been so injury prone.
This post was edited on 7/16/25 at 1:26 pm
Posted on 7/16/25 at 12:23 pm to Dalosaqy
quote:
Alexi Lalas and Carli Lloyd have decided Pulisic was a very bad boy this summer and should be excluded from the USMNT roster for the World Cup.
Did either actually say this? Or is this just you projecting?
Posted on 7/16/25 at 1:17 pm to lionward2014
quote:
His aerial skills were what made him so special during his loan in Barnsley forever ago.
I didn't get to watch him much back then, so that take was strictly based off of his very limited time with the natties.
I was SO stoked about him potentially getting a shot with the A-squad. Definitely rooting for him still.
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