The U.S. men’s national soccer team is currently in a World Cup year, which means players are vying for a spot on Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man squad. However, their first aim is to make the squad for friendly matches against Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta in March.
Pochettino’s final training camp call-up before selecting his World Cup squad in late May will come with no summer guarantees. Missing March will not prevent participation in the competition.
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Over the next two-plus months, though, Pochettino and his staff will be keeping a close eye on the club’s performance before extending an invitation. Barring injuries, most of the regulars are sure to make the roster. However, several candidates will back up their case with strong performances in the Euroleague, MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.
Here are the 10 players who made the most money:
PSV Eindhoven forward Riccardo Pepi continues to make a case for inclusion in the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup squad.
(NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Riccardo Pepi, PSV
Returning to PSV’s starting lineup and feeling confident, the Texas-born forward is ready to move up the U.S. depth chart. Due to injuries and club playing time, Pepi will be out of the U.S. scene until the end of 2025. Monaco’s Folarin Balogun has reinforced his status as a top player, while Coventry City’s Alhaji Wright has proven a valuable substitute.
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Pepi, who turns 23 on Friday, is in excellent form, scoring in five of PSV’s last six games and adding five goals and two assists in seven games before the winter break. Across all club competitions, he has scored 10 goals and provided three assists in 21 games. He is also a hot commodity on the transfer market, with PSV reportedly rejecting a $35 million offer from Premier League side Fulham.
Gio Reina, Monchengladbach
The enigmatic midfielder’s performances in the November transfer window have cemented his place in the United States, earning him a first call-up to the national team since March. But in order to stay in Pochettino’s good graces and remain in the World Cup squad, the 23-year-old must continue to earn starting opportunities for Monchengladbach, the Bundesliga club he joined from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
Reyna spent much of the first few months as a substitute, starting the last four games before the winter break and receiving mixed reviews. He has yet to score a goal or assist this season.
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Noah Banks, Augsburg FC
Although he has never played for Team USA, the 19-year-old center back remains an intriguing figure as the World Cup approaches. The Hawaiian-born German-American received his first call-up to the senior team in September but did not feature in any friendly matches. Banks has started nearly every game for Augsburg in the Bundesliga since the start of October and his performances cannot be ignored.
Pochettino’s centre-back lineup is not set in stone. He has used Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards, Charlotte’s Tim Ream, Cincinnati’s Myles Robinson, Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie and Celtic’s Auston Trusty. (Toronto FC’s Walker Zimmerman and Vancouver’s Tristan Blackmon are also on the list, and the Celtics’ Cameron Carter-Vickers is recovering from an Achilles injury.)
Johnny Cardozo, Atletico Madrid
If solely based on his performances for the club, the 24-year-old midfielder should be a regular for Team USA. He spent the past two years moving from Internacional of Brazil to Spain’s Real Betis and attracted interest from England’s Tottenham Hotspur before moving to Atletico Madrid for $35 million last summer.
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But injuries hampered his rise and, strangely, he never performed well with the national team. His most recent appearances in friendlies against Türkiye and Switzerland in June were memorable. Regular duty with Atletico Madrid could give him his last chance to win over Mauricio Pochettino.
Patrick Agyemang, Derby County
The 6-foot-4 Connecticut native took a bit of a risk last summer, moving away from a certain spot in MLS amid the uncertainty surrounding the English Championship. If he sits on the Derby bench, Agyemao will lose all hopes of a World Cup.
But he has adapted well, scoring six goals and assisting three in 19 starts, including two against Sheffield Wednesday last month. Good performance over the next two months will make him eligible for a March call-up.
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Alex Zendejas, Club America
The bright Mexican-born winger is the only Liga MX candidate under serious consideration, having excelled with club America and shown talent with the national team. His volley goal against Japan in September was superb. However, he exited October training camp with a knee injury and was not called up a month later.
Luca De La Torre, Charlotte FC
Reduced playing time in San Diego last season hurt his standing in the United States, but with a move to Charlotte this offseason, the 27-year-old midfielder with 32 caps for his country could re-enter the spotlight. However, like most MLS players, he doesn’t have much time to make his case: the regular season doesn’t start until February 21st.
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Yunus Musa, Atlanta
The versatile Moussa, once a mainstay in the United States squad – making 47 appearances before turning 23 – has faded since last March’s Nations League final. After joining Atlanta on loan from Serie A AC Milan this season, he has been almost always used as a substitute. His playing time has increased recently, suggesting he will play a larger role in the coming games.
Josh Sargent, Norwich City
While Pochettino and American fans have all but given up on the Norwich forward, Sargent still has the potential to go on a scoring spree. After all, he has scored 52 goals in England’s second tier over the past 3.5 years. Even if he does go crazy, though, there’s little faith in the U.S. jersey: He hasn’t scored for his country since November 2019.
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Damien Downs, Hamburg
Sometimes a change of scenery can do wonders and for the 6ft 4in 21-year-old striker with six caps for his country, a loan move to Hamburg from Southampton this week could do the trick. He made one start in the England Championship and has not played since November 25.
