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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Sanjay Sujanthakumar

Can ‘slow progress’ lead the United States to produce a top-20 player in the world?

Tab Ramos Bob Bradley Luchi Gonzalez Soccer MLS Christian Pulisic United States The United States USMNT Cavan Sullivan
Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States in action during the first half of the match against Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. Belgium won the match 5-2.
Christian Pulisic is widely seen as the United States’ best player, but it’s debatable whether he cracks the top 100 in the world. Photograph: Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/Getty Images

The US men’s national team roster for the 2026 World Cup will be unveiled on Tuesday, and according to head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the team is suffering from a talent deficit.

“We are USA,” he said after a 2-0 loss to Portugal in March, which followed a 5-2 loss to Belgium three days earlier. “And we are competing against Belgium, Portugal. I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, few or some players playing in that top 100. I think we don’t have [that].”

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