The final days of 2025 are upon us meaning the margin of error for many U.S. men’s national team hopefuls is very thin.
Many players boosted their stock in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad in 2025, giving themselves a good chance of making the Argentine’s final World Cup roster next summer. From Alex Freeman to Max Arfsten to Sebastian Berhalter, plenty of players did a stellar job in making their opportunities count.
Others such as Gio Reyna, Yunus Musah, and Auston Trusty may have had a tough time earning consistent playing at club level, but remain viable options for Pochettino to consider during the March window and beyond.
With the USMNT only having one window left before the World Dup begins, here are five players that can boost their stocks with a strong run this winter:
Gio Reyna
A productive November USMNT window has certainly helped Gio Reyna get back on track.
Reyna scored one goal and added one assist in two USMNT caps last month, reminding fans just what he is capable of in the final third. Despite a dry run of goal contributions at Borussia Moenchengladbach, Reyna has remained a consistent starter in the Bundesliga over recent weeks, earning the trust of manager Eugen Polanski.
Reyna has put his head down and worked hard this season, making 12 appearances to date, including four-consecutive starts in league play.
His World Cup spot isn’t guaranteed just yet, but a strong winter and a productive March window could be what makes or break his chances.
Yunus Musah
Atalanta manager Raffaele Palladino rewarded Yunus Musah with his first club start since September on Sunday, a moment which could serve as a springboard for Musah’s time in Bergamo.
Musah has found starts hard to come by since joining on loan from AC Milan, making just one in the past three months across all competitions. However, a strong 90-minute outing in a 1-0 victory over Genoa could do wonders for the 23-year-old’s chances of getting back to playing regularly.
Musah was reduced to only two caps for the USMNT this year, last featuring in the CONCACAF Nations League Final Four last March. Despite making 41 appearances for the Rossoneri last campaign, Musah had to sit on the outside of Pochettino’s squad during the Gold Cup and fall friendlies.
With Atalanta remaining in multiple competitions this winter, Musah will have zero shortage of chances to become a regular starter again.
Auston Trusty
Auston Trusty was serving as Celtic’s No. 3-choice centerback until a serious injury to fellow American defender Cameron Carter-Vickers opened the door for him to play regularly.
Since then, Trusty has went the distance in all 14 of his club appearances, earning the trust of new manager Wilfried Nancy. The former MLS homegrown most recently helped Celtic earn a 3-1 win over Aberdeen on Sunday, a result that the club and Nancy desperately needed heading into Christmas.
Trusty’s lone USMNT appearance came in the 5-1 thrashing of Uruguay last month, a result that certainly ended the program’s schedule on a high note. With Carter-Vickers set to miss the most of the second half of the season, Trusty could grab his World Cup spot with a strong run in the Celtic squad in 2026.
Joe Scally
The productive 2025’s for Alex Freeman and Max Arfsten has not only done the MLS pair a world of good but has also limited the opportunities for veteran Joe Scally.
Scally made just three USMNT appearances in 2025, watching as both Freeman and Arfsten boosted their stocks with the program over the calendar year. However, despite his limited opportunities under Mauricio Pochettino, Scally has played in 16 matches for Borussia Moenchengladbach this season, and still has a winter and spring schedule to look forward to.
Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest remain the USMNT’s top fullbacks when healthy, while Tim Weah could also operate in a right wing back role if needed. With Freeman and Arfsten both pressing to lock down their spots in the coming months, Scally could be the odd-man out if he doesn’t get himself into the March window.
Patrick Agyemang
Folarin Bologun and Ricardo Pepi are the USMNT’s top-two striking options at this moment in time, but the No. 3 spot remains very much open heading into 2026.
Haji Wright has cooled off big time since his fast start for Coventry City, while Josh Sargent needs a miracle to get back into the USMNT picture next year. Enter Patrick Agyemang.
Agyemang earned 12 caps for the USMNT in 2025, scoring a program-high five goals over that span.
His move to EFL Championship club Derby County has been positive to start, with Agyemang scoring five goals and adding three assists in all competitions. While Wright is a more versatile option than Agyemang, the former Charlotte FC striker brings more physicality to the mix, which could be what gets him over the line.
What are your thoughts on these five players? How many do you have on your final World Cup roster?
Share your thoughts below.
Meanwhile for the winter transfer window:
“According to a report by TEAMtalk, Ricardo Pepi is the subject of interest from Fulham. The Cottagers are eager to bolster their offensive unit by signing a striker in the winter transfer window. So, the 22-year-old PSV Eindhoven centre-forward has emerged as a target for the West London outfit.”
“However, the Eredivisie champions do not want to part ways with the American striker, even though the Cottagers have been ready to pay a significant sum to secure his services. Additionally, Pepi, who “has been described as absolutely lethal by former USA international striker Landon Donovan”, is not considering leaving PSV Eindhoven anytime soon.”
“How has Ricardo Pepi fared at PSV Eindhoven?
Ricardo Pepi has established himself as one of the best players in the Eredivisie since joining PSV Eindhoven from FC Augsburg in July 2023. The 22-year-old has made considerable progress in the last two and a half years, having been productive in the final third for the Dutch champions.”
“The USMNT international has been solid thus far in the 2025/26 season, scoring ten goals and providing two assists in 21 appearances across all competitions. Meanwhile, Pepi’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs. Fulham will be among the prospective suitors vying for his signature heading into the winter transfer window.”
“London calling? Not quite
Ricardo Pepi has been on Fulham’s radar for a long time. The continued interest makes sense, as the Cottagers are scouring the market for a striker heading into the winter transfer window after parting ways with Carlos Vinicius. Meanwhile, Raul Jimenez is on the wrong side of 30 and approaching the twilight of his career. So, Rodrigo Muniz is the only long-term option for Marco Silva.”
“So, Fulham should sign a striker in the winter transfer window, with Pepi emerging as a viable target. Recent reports have claimed that the West London club will submit a bid worth €30-35 million to sign the 22-year-old American striker from PSV Eindhoven.”
“However, the Eredivisie champions are not interested in selling Pepi in the winter transfer window. Additionally, the 22-year-old USMNT international will not push for a move away from PSV Eindhoven in the coming weeks. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Pepi and who emerges as a target for Fulham for a January move.”
You’re late to the discussion in the Americans Abroad Preview with Musah’s picture. You were probably being present with your family while the rest of us where trying to hide from our in laws.
“Can he now work hus way back to the USMNT before the WC?”
Of course he can.
There will be more injuries.
Brendan Aaronson had a very tidy game last weekend
basically, at this point for all, staying healthy is the paramount premium
As for prices at the WC, I could not agree more that the tickets are overpriced. If I were making over $500,000 I might consider buying at the prices I’ve seen, but at considerablyless that that, no thanks.
USSoccer is right up there with the money grubbers trying to cash in early. They pay lip service to treating US fans well, but they count only tickets purchased through their web site in the past as evidence you are a fan. I have attended 11 USMNT games and 4 USWNT games, but US soccer does not recognize that and credit me with zero games.
Further visitors from any Latin American, African or Asian country should seriously question the safety of visiting the USA given the widely reported issues of ICE detaining even US citizens,
The handling of it is a big mess on several levels.
I recently purchased tickets to a USWNT game as a Christmas gift. I was emailed a code from US Soccer as a long-time member, and bought the tickets through TicketMonster. I always favor purchasing directly from US Soccer, but that opportunity is now very rare. TicketMonster is an obvious monopoly that can be configured by the source to rig the prices and fees.
I have found the USSF to be pretty good with listening to the fans. In my experience, the USSF does not use dynamic pricing for its friendlies, and keeps fees as a reasonable cost when compared to other events. On the other hand, FIFA is setting the ticketing policy for the WC, not the USSF. As one who has been to 2 World Cups, there is a zero percent chance I will buy tickets for the 2026 event, despite leaving close to one of the stadiums. Enough is enough!
right on PN, me neither
Of course it’s good to see US-related players and coaches persisting, and improving their craft wherever they land.
But really, how much do any of the USMNT players, or US fans, or kids learning the game in the US, even matter at this point? Won’t the whole World Cup just be tangential to most of us?
From all I’ve read so far, there are hardly going to be any reasonably priced tickets. Should we applaud schemes where people have to let their credit cards be billed for thousands, only to enter a “lottery” that doesn’t even guarantee them a seat?
Looking at the schedule, too, so much seems to be only on the coasts, with hardly any games to interest fans in the rest of the nation. Here in Texas we seem to have been allotted only Argentina, Japan, and the Netherlands. As a longtime follower of Brazil, Germany, England, and Colombia, as well as the USA — why should I care about Messi and his product placement?
And apparently all the games, even early rounds against minnows, will be in massive NFL stadiums, with seats a mile away, intrusive security, and yet again, temporary grass that is likely to injure players?
Worst of all, isn’t it likely that most other fans from around the world won’t even try to come? Would you travel to, say, Russia or China if they had armed men in masks everywhere, and demanded 5 years of the contents of all your devices, and threatened to throw you in jail?
I remember World Cups from decades past that felt like they brought people from different cultures together — including me, with zero soccer background until the late 1970s. But now, I know people who are too scared to even try to visit this country in the foreseeable future — and they’re white-collar professionals from Europe and South America, not laborers or refugees.
To bring it back to a concrete question: Have any of you yet managed to get a ticket to any WC game you’re looking forward to attending? Or even a friendly in 2026?
As a fan, I mean.
Presumably the demand is still there, so there is no financial incentive to lower prices. I too was turned off by the price and uncertainty of the lottery so gave up. Have a couple friends who entered the lottery thru supporter groups and haven’t heard anything to my knowledge. There’s a small chance I can tag along with one of them but it means buying plane tickets for me so…probably will just watch on tv…
Tejana – I hear ya. I’ve decided that I will be either hosting or attending viewing parties as often as I can to get the buzz of watching in a group. There are few soccer crazy family friendly places I can take my son along with me. It’s breaking my heart to not be able to bring him to a Norway game – he loves Haaland and Oscar Bobb (lol). For us other hurdles beyond what you listed include the end of the Saves Act and our health insurance premiums tripling – not a good time to be a self-employed small business owner.
JB – if the CWC is any indicator they will hold the prices close until a couple days before and then their maybe fire sale tickets to some games for $30. Who can plan around that “hope” though.
*there (doh!)
Pellwgrino Matarazzo hired as coach for Real Sociedad. Good to see him get a chance after being let go by Hoffenheim
Good to see Musah start. Can he now work hus way back to the USMNT before the WC?
Dude’s confidence fell of a cliff last year at AC Milan. Followed by his stepping back from the Gold Cup for personal reasons – I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a story there. I hope all is well in his personal life.
“Can he now work hus way back to the USMNT before the WC?”
Of course he can.
There will be more injuries.