Strikers battle, Banks in, TTillman ups case: USMNT Tracker 2026 World Cup

What a battle we have at striker for the U.S. Men’s National Team: Folarin Balogun scored, Patrick Agyemang notched an assist, and in his return from a broken arm, striker Ricardo Pepi scored for PSV Eindhoven. Meanwhile, Tyler Adams returned to the pitch, Antonee Robinson has a knock, and is it time to move Timmy Tillman up a notch or two on the defensive midfielder depth chart?

Also, I did it (Peer pressure is a thing…). I added U.S. citizen and FC Augsburg center bank Noahkai Banks to the tracker. Let’s face it, the 19-year-old deserves it! He has gone the full 90 in 13 of Augsburg’s matches and has impressed.

All in all, twenty-six of the top candidates for the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer started for their clubs across Europe and Major League Soccer with two others seeing time.

The first match of the FIFA World Cup on June 12 is approaching somewhat rapidly for the U.S. Men’s National Team. A strong showing as one of the three host countries with Mexico and Canada is a must. Anything else is unacceptable. Coach Mauricio Pochettino will be faced with whittling the roster down to 23-26 players for the three group stage matches… and beyond. Maybe, just maybe, the USMNT will end up in Kansas City for a quarterfinal.

Thus, we will be following the top players (at the moment) who are the strongest candidates for the final roster per the latest callups and history. Who fits the 3-4-2-1 formation Pochettino seems to now favor? How much playing time is each seeing? Are they being productive? Will a strong show of form mean a surprise addition, and subsequent subtraction, from the roster?

Consider this weekly column your reference.

as of Tuesday early evening, February 24, 2026

Strikers – 

Folarin Balogun, F, 24, AS Monaco: Scored the first goal and went 85 in 3-1 comeback win at Lens, February 21. Started and pushed Monaco to a 2-0 lead in an eventual 3-2 loss to PSG on February 17 in Champions League. Next match: Wednesday, February 25 v PSG in second leg of Champions League round.

Haji Wright, F, 27, Coventry City: Started and went 75 minutes in 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion, February 21. Scored a hat trick – tap in, strong route one finish, and a well-placed pen – and went 82 minutes in 3-1 win to overtake Middlesbrough atop the Championship table on February 16. Next match: Wednesday, February 25, v Sheffield United.

Patrick Agyemang, 25, Derby County: Garnered an assist and went all 90 in 4-2 loss at Hull City, February 24. Started and went 90, February 21, in 2-0 loss to Watford. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v Blackburn Rovers.

Ricardo Pepi, F, 23, PSV Eindhoven:  In his first match since returning from a broken arm, Pepi entered in the 75^th minute and scored the third goal in a 3-1 win over SC Heerenveen, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28, 2026, v Heracles Almelo.

Attacking Midfielders

Christian Pulisic, F, 27, AC Milan: Started and played 62 minutes in 1-0 loss to Parma, February 22. Came off the bench in the 82^nd minute in a 1-1 draw with Como, February 18.  Next match: Sunday, March 1 v Cremonese.

Gio Reyna, MF, 23, Borussia Monchengladbach: Due to not being match fit, not in the 20 for a 2-1 loss at Freiburg, February 22. Next match: Saturday, February 28 v Union Berlin.

Weston McKennie, MF, 27, Juventus: Went all 90 in 2-0 loss to Como, February 21. Went all 90 in a 5-2 loss to Galatasaray, February 17 in Champions League. Next match: Wednesday, February 25, v Galatasaray in second leg of Champions League series.

Brenden Aaronson, MF, 25, Leeds United: Started and went 73 minutes in 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v Manchester City.

Malik Tillman, 23, Bayer Leverkusen: Started and went 81 minutes in 1-0 loss at Union Berlin, February 21. Stepped on in the 64^th minute in Bayer’s 2-0 win over Olympiacos, February 18, in Champions League. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v Mainz.

Diego Luna, MF/F, 22, RSL:  Not in 18 in 1-0 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28 v Seattle Sounders.

Wing backs

Tim Weah, MF, 25, Marseille (on loan from Juventus): Went 90 in 2-0 loss to Brest, February 20. Next match: Sunday, March 1, 2026, v Lyon.

Sergino Dest, D/MF, 25, PSV Eindhoven: Started and went all 90 in 3-1 win over SC Heerenveen, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28, 2026, v Heracles Almelo.

Antonee Robinson, D, 28, Fulham:  A minor ankle injury kept him out of a 3-1 win over Sunderland, February 22. Next match: Sunday, March 1 v Tottenham.

John Tolkin, D, 23, Holstein Kiel: Started and went 69 minutes in a 3-1 loss to Karlsruhe, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28 v Elversberg.

Alex Freeman, WB, 21, Villarreal: Did not see the pitch in a 2-1 derby win over Valencia, February 22. Subbed on in the 88^th minute of a 1-0 win over Levante UD, February 18. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v Barcelona.

Max Arfsten, D. 24, Columbus Crew: Started and went all 90 in 3-2 loss to Portland Timbers, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v Sporting Kansas City.

Holding midfielders (one a 6 one an 8)

Tyler Adams, MF, 26, AFC Bournemouth: Started first match in return from injury and went 66 minutes in a 0-0 draw with West Ham, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28 v Sunderland.

James Sands, MF, 25, FC St. Pauli:  Entered in the 80^th minute of a 2-1 over SV Werder Bremen, February 22. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v TSG Hoffenheim.

Tanner Tessmann, MF, 24, Olympique Lyonnais: Started and went 58 minutes in 3-1 loss to Racing Club DE Strasbourg Alsace, February 22. Went 90 in 2-1 win over OGC Nice, February 15.   Next match: Sunday, March 1 v Marseille.

Aidan Morris, MF, 24, Middlesbrough: Went 90 in 1-1 draw with Leicester City, February 24.  Started and went 74 minutes in nil-nil draw with Oxford United, February 21. Next match: Monday, March 2 v Birmingham City.

Timmy Tillman, MF, 27, LAFC:  Started and gained two assists in 82 minutes in a 3-0 win over Inter Miami, February 21. Scored and went 90 in 6-1 win over Real Espana, February 17, in CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in second leg v Real Espana.

Cristian Roldan, MF, 30, Seattle Sounders: Started and went all 90 in 2-0 win over Colorado Rapids, February 22. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v Real Salt Lake.

Sebastian Berhalter, MF, 24, Vancouver Whitecaps:  Started and went all 90 in 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake, February 21. Went all 90 in 0-0 draw with CSC in CONCACAF Champions Cup, February 18. Next match: Wednesday, February 25, v CSC in second leg.

Center Backs

Auston Trusty, D, 27, Celtic FC:  Went all 90 in 2-1 loss, February 22 v Hibernian. Next match: Thursday, February 26 v Stuttgart in Europa League.

Joe Scally, D, 23, Borussia Monchengladbach: Started and went 90 in 2-1 at Freiburg February 22. Next match: Saturday, February 28 v Union Berlin.

Mark Mckenzie, D, 26, Toulouse FC: Was not in matchday 20 for 1-1 draw with Paris FC, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28 v Lens.

Chris Richards, D, 25, Crystal Palace:  Went all 90 in 1-0 win over Wolverhampton, February 22. Went all 90 in 1-1 draw with Zrinjski Mostar, February 19 in UEFA Conference League. Next match: 2^nd leg v Zrinjski Mostar, Thursday, February 26, 2026.

Miles Robinson, D, 28, FC Cincinnati: Drew massive praise for 90-minute performance in 2-0 win over Atlanta United, February 21. Started and went 38 minutes in 4-0 win over OYM, February 18, in CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: second leg v OYM, Wednesday, February 25, 2026.

Tim Ream, D, 38, Charlotte FC:  Started and went all 90 in 1-1 draw with St. Louis City, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28 v LA Galaxy.

Noahkai Banks, D, 19, FC Augsburg: Started and went all 90 in 3-2 win over Wolfsburg, February 21. Next match: Friday, February 27, v FC Cologne.

Goalkeeper

Roman Celentano, GK, 25, FC Cincinnati: Started and went all 90 in 2-0 win over Atlanta United, February 21. Started and went 90 in 4-0 win over OYM, February 18, in CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: Wednesday, February 25 in second leg v OYM.

Patrick Schulte, GK, 24, Columbus Crew: Started and went all 90 in 3-2 loss to Portland Timbers, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28, 2026, v Sporting Kansas City.

Matt Turner, GK, 31. New England Revolution (from Lyon): Went all 90 in 4-1 loss to Nashville SC, February 21. Next match: Saturday, February 28, v Red Bull New York.

Matt Freese, GK, 27, NYCFC:  Between the posts for all 90 in 1-1 draw with Los Angeles Galaxy, February 22. Next match: Sunday, March 1, v Philadelphia Union.