GeismarGeauxer

What is face value?

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.

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Arfsten has been a disaster this tournament.

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Should be subbed out and never play for USMNT again.

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FE was much harder (ChE). The PE was a breeze

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Did you benefit in any way from getting either?

ChE here as well (didn’t take either one) and definitely a lot less ChE take either compared to say Civil for sure.

And being 22 with grey hair

We didn’t even bring any other strikers huh?

Horrific mistake by Freese there.

Gifted them a goal out of nothing.

Why is Braswell swinging at 2-1?

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Now shove Anderson and AE down CC throats for #8!!!!!!!

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Is that the order and what would the days rest be for each?

He got mad and showed them.