The countdown to the 2026 World Cup is well and truly on for U.S men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff, and the Argentine’s data analysts will have been hard at work after another week of exhilarating action around the globe.
Only 26 players can punch their ticket onto USMNT’s roster, with competition for places as fierce as they’ve ever been, and Friday’s World Cup draw is only going to add to the excitement of potentially playing at a home tournament.
Those on the periphery will be working the hardest to get into Pochettino’s plans, but no player will take their place on the USMNT’s roster for granted—which is potentially why we saw some big-name stars step up this past weekend to deliver in spectacular fashion.
Here, Sports Illustrated ranks the top five performances from around the globe.
