The U.S. men's national team is licking its wounds after losing to Mexico for the second time in a row under Mauricio Pochettino after falling in the Concacaf Gold Cup final over the holiday weekend. A summer that has yielded mixed results ended in disappointment as all eyes shift toward 2026 and a World Cup on home soil.
Given the notable amount of absences from this summer's camp including Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Tim Weah, Weston McKennie and more, fans had an added interest in who would step up, perform and make a name for themselves to be included come 2026. Names like Tyler Adams and Chris Richards are expected starters, pending fitness, but there were question marks around defense, goalkeeper and, most notably, up top. The latter isn't a new debate.
