With just two weeks separating the United States from their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Paraguay, the anticipation around Mauricio Pochettino's squad is matched only by the scrutiny it has attracted. The 26-man roster has left many observers questioning whether the selections made will hold up under tournament pressure.
A striker partnership taking shape
For once, the center forward position looks like a strength rather than a weakness. Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun have both hit form in recent months — Pepi at PSV and Balogun at Monaco — while Haji Wright offers an experienced option from the bench. The striker situation, at least, gives the co-hosts genuine cause for optimism.
Wingers and wide play: the real concern
The doubts begin just beyond the No. 9 role, where a shortage of natural width and directness stands out. Timothy Weah is the only true winger in the squad, and he has spent the bulk of this season at right-back for Marseille. The exclusion of Real Salt Lake teenager Zavier Gozo — who has drawn considerable attention with his pace and creativity — leaves the attack looking one-dimensional on the flanks.
Perhaps the most surprising omission is Diego Luna, who scored four goals since April — twice as many as Giovanni Reyna, Malik Tillman, Christian Pulisic, and Brendan Aaronson combined over the same period. Luna also played a meaningful role in the United States' run to the 2025 Gold Cup Final. Pochettino appears to have favoured experience and World Cup pedigree over current form, but unless Pulisic rediscovers his scoring touch after an unusually barren spell, the goals may be hard to come by.
Midfield balance comes into question
Those tempted to label Pochettino's approach as an MLS bias need only examine the midfield choices. Tanner Tessmann — who guided Lyon to a top-four league finish — and Aidan Morris — whose form helped push Middlesbrough to the brink of promotion — have both been left out.
In their place, Sebastian Berhalter of Vancouver and Seattle's Cristian Roldán are set to back up Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams. Roldán has not featured competitively for the United States since the 2023 Gold Cup, and his profile is strikingly similar to Berhalter's — raising concerns about depth and variety. With only four central midfielders selected against ten defenders, the squad has little cover if Adams suffers an injury, and no recognised defensive midfielder to step in.
Defensive uncertainty at the back
Pochettino has yet to confirm whether he will line up in a back four or a back five, and the centre of defence presents further headaches. Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson appear set to start on the flanks, but the central pairing remains unsettled.
Chris Richards is in a race against time to recover from the torn ankle ligaments that forced him to miss the Conference League Final. The United States have no centre-back who comes close to Richards' quality when fit, and both Miles Robinson and Tim Ream have endured difficult starts to the 2026 MLS season.
Chemistry — the hardest thing to manufacture
Underlying all of these individual concerns is a broader one: this group has been playing together under Pochettino for fewer than two years, and several key players skipped the 2025 Gold Cup, leaving the starting XI with limited time to build cohesion as a unit.
