Rankings arrive and Folarin Balogun is back: U.S. Men’s National Team Tracker FIFA World Cup 2026

Thank goodness! U.S. Men’s National Team striker Folarin Balogun got back on the scoresheet for AS Monaco, scoring his sixth of the season. Must have been the heat of Haji Wright – who scored twice for Coventry City over two matches this past week – and Patrick Agyemang and Ricardo Pepi’s latest scoring exploits.

Attacking midfielders and wing backs are in the news as well as Weston McKennie got back on the score sheet for Juventus midweek, yet Malik Tillman was again sidelined by an ankle injury. Wing back Max Arfsten’s performance with Columbus Crew sees him pushing a once-again on the bench Antonee Robinson.

Big news: Finally, they are here: Rankings. Ahhh, putting out rankings is risky and can bite one on the backside… But they are fun! And they make their debut on our U.S. Men’s National Team tracker for the first time. And they will stay here from here until the 2026 FIFA World Cup roster is announced. It’s March, people. We are getting closer… every day.

All in all, 27 of the 34 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 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 Monday, March 2, 2026

Strikers – 

1. Folarin Balogun, F, 24, AS Monaco: Started and scored the opener in a 2-0 win over Angers, the club’s 6^th unbeaten. The goal was Balogun’s sixth of the league campaign. Started and went 74 minutes in 2-2 draw with PSG, February 25, to be knocked out in the second leg of the Champions League playoff round. Next match: Friday, March 6 v PSG.
2. Haji Wright, F, 27, Coventry City: Started, scored first goal, and went 79 minutes in 2-1 win over Stoke, February 28. Started, scored the first goal, and went 76 minutes in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United, February 25. Next match: Saturday, March 7, v Bristol City.
3. Patrick Agyemang, 25, Derby County: Went all 90, February 28, in 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers. Garnered an assist and went all 90 in 4-2 loss at Hull City, February 24. Next match: Saturday, March 7, v Sheffield Wednesday.
4. Ricardo Pepi, F, 23, PSV Eindhoven:  Entered at the halfway mark in 3-1 win over Heracles Almelo, February 28, 2026. Next match: Tuesday, March 3, v Nijmegen in the KVNB Cup competition, then Saturday, March 7, v Alkmaar.

Attacking Midfielders

1. Christian Pulisic, F, 27, AC Milan: Started and went 78 minutes in a 2-0 win over Cremonese March 1. Next match: Sunday, March 8, v Inter.
2. Weston McKennie, MF, 27, Juventus: Started and went 90 in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Roma, March 1. Started, went 90+, and scored the third goal in 3-2 win over Galatasaray in second leg of Champions League series, February 25. The win was not enough, however, as the 5-7 aggregate tossed Juve from the playoffs. Next match: Saturday, March 7, v Pisa.
3. Malik Tillman, 23, Bayer Leverkusen: Not in matchday 20 due to an ankle injury for a 1-1 draw with Mainz, February 28. Tillman’s injury is not labeled as serious. Next match: Wednesday, March 4 v Hamburger SV; then, Saturday, March 7, v SC Freiburg.
4. Brenden Aaronson, MF, 25, Leeds United: Started and went 65 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Manchester City, February 28. Next match: Tuesday, March 3, v Sunderland.
5. Gio Reyna, MF, 23, Borussia Monchengladbach: In the matchday 20, but did not see the pitch in a 1-0 win over Union Berlin, February 28. Next match: Friday, March 6, v Bayern Munich.
6. Diego Luna, MF/F, 22, RSL:  Not in the 20 for a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders, February 28. Next match: Saturday, March 7 at Atlanta United.

Wing backs

1. Sergino Dest, D/MF, 25, PSV Eindhoven: Started and went the full 90 in 3-1 win over Hercles Almelo, February 28. Next match: Tuesday, March 3, v Nijmegen in the KVNB Cup competition, then Saturday, March 7, v Alkmaar.
2. Tim Weah, MF, 25, Marseille(on loan from Juventus): Started and went 84 minutes in a 3-2 win over Lyon, March 1, 2026. Next match: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 v Toulouse in Coupe de France; then Saturday, March 7, v Toulouse in league play.
3. Antonee Robinson, D, 28, Fulham: Was in the matchday 20, but he did not see time in a 2-1 win over Tottenham. Next match: Wednesday, March 4, v West Ham United; then, Sunday, March 8, v Southampton
4. Max Arfsten, D. 24, Columbus Crew: Started and went all 90, performing well and gaining an assist in a 2-2 draw at Sporting Kansas City, February 28. Next match: Host Chicago Fire, Saturday, March 7, 2026.
5. Alex Freeman, WB, 21, Villarreal: In the matchday 20, but did not see the pitch in 4-1loss to Barcelona, February 28. Next match: Sunday, March 8, v Elche.
6. John Tolkin, D, 23, Holstein Kiel: Started and went all 90 in a 1-1 draw with Elversberg, February 28. Next match: Saturday, March 7, v Darmstadt.

Holding midfielders (one a 6 one an 8)

1. Tyler Adams, MF, 26, AFC Bournemouth: Started and went 62 minutes in 1-1 draw with Sunderland, February 28. Next match: Tuesday, March 3 v Brentford.
2. Tanner Tessmann, MF, 24, Olympique Lyonnais: Started and went all 90 in 3-2 loss to Marseille, March 1 v Marseille. Next match: Thursday, March 5, v RC Lens in French Cup quarterfinal; then Sunday, March 8, v Paris FC.
3. James Sands, MF, 25, FC St. Pauli:  Started and went 90 in 1-0 win over TSG Hoffenheim, February 28. Next match: Sunday, March 8, v Eintracht Frankfurt.
4. Aidan Morris, MF, 24, Middlesbrough: Started and went 90 in 3-1 over Birmingham City, March 2. Went 90 in 1-1 draw with Leicester City, February 24. Next match: Sunday, March 8, v QPR.
5. Timmy Tillman, MF, 27, LAFC:  Started and went all 90 in 2-0 win over Houston Dynamo, February 28. Went second 45 in 1-0 win over Real Espana, February 24, 2026, in second leg v Real Espana. Next match: Saturday, March 7 v FC Dallas.
6. Cristian Roldan, MF, 30, Seattle Sounders: Started, scored, and went all 90 in 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake, February 28. Next match: Saturday, March 7, v St. Louis City.
7. Sebastian Berhalter, MF, 24, Vancouver Whitecaps: Started and went 87 minutes in 3-0 win over Toronto FC, February 28. Started, scored, and went all 90 in 2-0 series win, February 25, over CSC in CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: Saturday, March 7, v Portland Timbers.

Center Backs

1. Chris Richards, D, 25, Crystal Palace: Started and went 90 in 2-1 loss to Manchester United, March 1. Started and went all 90 in 2-0 win over Zrinjski Mostar in UEFA Conference League 2^nd leg, February 26, that secured a spot in the round of 16. Next match: Thursday, March 5, v Tottenham.
2. Mark Mckenzie, D, 26, Toulouse FC: Started and went 90 in 1-0 loss to Rens, February 28. Next match: Wednesday, March 4, v Marseille in French Cup; then Saturday, March 7, v Marseille in league play.
3. Tim Ream, D, 38, Charlotte FC:  Started and went all 90 in 3-0 loss to LA Galaxy, February 28. Next match: Saturday, March 9, v Austin FC.
4. Miles Robinson, D, 28, FC Cincinnati: Started and went all 90 in 1-0 loss to Minnesota United on February 28. Was not in the matchday twenty for 9-0 over OYM in second leg, February 25, of CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: Sunday, March 8, v Toronto FC.
5. Auston Trusty, D, 27, Celtic FC: Suspended for two matches – v Rangers and Wednesday, March 4, v Aberdeen – after red card in league match Sunday, February 22^nd. Started and went all 90 in 1-0 win over Stuttgart, February 26, in Europa League. However, Celtic is out after losing 4-2 on aggregate. Next match: Sunday, March 8 v Rangers in Scottish Cup.
6. Noahkai Banks, D, 19, FC Augsburg: Started and went full 90 in 2-0 win over FC Cologne, February 27. Next match: Saturday, March 7, v Leipzig.
7. Joe Scally, D, 23, Borussia Monchengladbach: Started and went 90 in 1-0 win over Union Berlin, February 28. Next match: Friday, March 6, v Bayern Munich.

Goalkeeper

1. Matt Freese, GK, 27, NYCFC: Between the posts for all 90 in a 2-1 win Philadelphia Union, March 1, making some strong saves. Next match: Saturday, March 7 v Orlando City.
2. Patrick Schulte, GK, 24, Columbus Crew: Started and went all 90, making two strong saves in a 2-2 draw at Sporting Kansas City, February 28. Next match: Host Chicago Fire, Saturday, March 7, 2026.
3. Matt Turner, GK, 31. New England Revolution(from Lyon): Went all 90 in 1-0 loss to Red Bull New York, February 28. Next match: v Houston TBA.
4. Roman Celentano, GK, 25, FC Cincinnati: Started and went all 90 in 1-0 loss to Minnesota United on February 28. Remained on the bench for 9-0 over OYM in second leg, February 25, of CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: Sunday, March 8, v Toronto FC.