With less than a month remaining before Mauricio Pochettino announces the U.S. men’s national team’s 26-player roster for World Cup warm-ups against Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta, competition for spots is heating up. Players have only a few club matches left to impress and secure their place for the main tournament in June and July.
Here’s a look at who’s trending up and down this week.
Stock Up
Johnny Cardoso, Midfielder, Atlético Madrid
After battling injuries since his €35 million transfer from Real Betis last summer, the New Jersey-born, Brazil-raised 24-year-old scored his first goal for Atléti at a crucial moment. His strike against Club Brugge on Wednesday secured a 1-0 win as Atlético advanced to the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The draw will take place Friday.
Haji Wright, Forward, Coventry City
Wright’s hat trick versus Middlesbrough on Feb. 16 helped Coventry City extend their winning streak to three matches, giving them a five-point lead at the top of the Championship. The 27-year-old from Los Angeles also scored Wednesday in a 2-1 comeback over Sheffield United.
Ricardo Pepi, Forward, PSV
Six weeks after breaking his arm while scoring, Pepi returned against Heerenveen and netted his 12th goal of the season within 12 minutes. The El Paso, Texas native is averaging a goal every 83 minutes this season.
Tyler Adams, Midfielder, Bournemouth
Adams, sidelined since mid-December with a torn MCL, made his first start since the injury in last weekend’s 0-0 draw with West Ham. The 27-year-old World Cup captain played 66 minutes before being replaced by Ryan Christie. He will return when Bournemouth hosts Sunderland on Saturday.
Weston McKennie, Midfielder, Juventus
Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti has deployed McKennie in multiple roles this week. The 27-year-old Texan, starting at left back Wednesday, still scored a goal to level the aggregate score against Galatasaray in Turin, though Juve were eliminated after two late goals by the visitors.
Stock Down
Diego Luna, Forward, Real Salt Lake
The 22-year-old Californian, who led the USMNT in 2025 with 17 appearances, four goals, and four assists, missed RSL’s 1-0 loss to Vancouver on Feb. 21 due to a minor knee injury. He may return for the club’s home opener against Seattle on Saturday.
Malik Tillman, Midfielder/Forward, Bayer Leverkusen
Tillman’s playing time has been limited recently due to an ankle problem, causing him to miss Leverkusen’s 0-0 draw with Olympiacos. The 23-year-old creative midfielder will watch from the sidelines as the club advances to face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16.
Yunus Musah, Midfielder, Atalanta
Musah’s season-long loan at Atalanta has been difficult, featuring 17 unused substitute appearances. He didn’t play in either leg as Atalanta progressed past Borussia Dortmund. The 23-year-old remains optimistic about making the 2026 World Cup squad, noting: “I know what I can bring to the group. If I can get myself in the right position at club level, everything becomes clearer. There’s still time, but the clock is ticking.”
Christian Pulisic, Forward, AC Milan
Despite starting for AC Milan for the first time in over a month, Pulisic extended his goal drought to eight consecutive games in a 1-0 home loss to Parma. This contrasts sharply with his strong start to the 2025-26 season, when he scored six goals and provided two assists in the first eight matches.
