U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino knows he needs to name his 2026 World Cup roster by his chosen date of May 26, making every week a critical chance for those in the race for a spot.
The latest weekend saw standout performances across the world, with Matt Freese putting in a shining goalkeeping performance in MLS, despite falling to fellow USMNT World Cup hopefuls, Sebastian Berhalter and Brian White. Over in Europe, Ricardo Pepi turned up the heat on the striker competition.
Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at three USMNT standouts from the past week as World Cup kickoff draws near.
Ricardo Pepi
Ricardo Pepi put in one of his best performances in 2026 over the weekend, scoring a goal and playing 82 minutes in PSV Eindhoven’s 2–0 win over Sparta Rotterdam on Saturday. While his club has already clinched the Dutch Eredivisie title, the performance marked the USMNT frontman’s key return to form and his 14th goal in 30 games across all competitions this season.
It was his ability to create chances that stood out. His goal came off a skillful header on a high cross, and he had several other key opportunities throughout the match. Most notably, on one occasion, he tiptoed along the last defender, before making a slicing run behind his back on the cross.
As seen in the captures above, Pepi quickly assessed that his teammate would burst through the midfield, beating several defenders before spreading the ball wide for a cross that would ultimately be targeted at the U.S. striker. It’s a drawn-up play, elevated by skillful dribbling and one that could be replicated on the USMNT side, should Pepi get further opportunities.
Matt Freese
OH MY, MATTY FREESE 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/LDWKmEI9lV
— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) April 11, 2026
Matt Freese is the only reason why things didn’t get outrageously ugly for New York City FC this weekend, as the potential USMNT starter for the World Cup stood on his head for eight saves on the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 10 total shots on target.
The 27-year-old made several key stops throughout the match, but it was his quick reaction and ability to recover to make a second save in the same phase of play that stood out. In the video above, he makes a sprawling save to keep the match tied early on, crawling back to the goalline to thwart the ball out for a corner.
Yet, it’s the save below that truly stands out. Freese assesses the cross from the wide threat, but misses on the kick-save clearance, leaving Vancouver’s own USMNT World Cup hopeful, Sebastian Berhalter, with a gaping net to shoot at. Instead, a shielding effort from Kevin O’Toole narrows an angle, giving Freese enough time to bounce up and make the stop quickly. That cross-box recovery is often a key part of goalkeeping drills from grassroots to professional training sessions, and paid off perfectly in this situation.
#MattFreese is the only reason Vancouver isn't at 4: #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/pZJagyYuJd
— Scott Churchson (@scottchurchson) April 12, 2026
Although Freese and his MLS competitor, the New England Revolution’s Matt Turner, could both see time in Group D action against Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye, it’s clear that Freese’s skill set suits him better for big games and significant saves, making him the first-choice backstop.
Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun might just be the most in-form striker in the world right now, after scoring in his seventh straight Ligue 1 game as Monaco fell 4–1 to Paris FC, his 11th goal of the season to bring him to sixth in the Ligue 1 Golden Boot standings.
While he is already a likely starter for the USMNT, his best place remains in question. Despite Monaco’s overall struggles this weekend, he had several chances in the two-striker setup alongside Ansu Fati. Yet there is no clear striker partner for him on the USMNT. Christian Pulisic has stood out in the role at times for AC Milan; however, he has failed to translate that potency into international duties.
Nevertheless, one thing has become clear—Balogun can score, and he’s brimming with confidence heading into this summer, the best baseline situation for any star striker to be in.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT’s Three Best Players of the Week: Pepi Fuels Striker Race, Freese’s Stunning Stops.
