For the U.S. men’s national team to deliver a memorable run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mauricio Pochettino will need his star players to lead and his supporting cast to step up.

Less than half of Pochettino’s World Cup roster were involved at the 2022 edition of the tournament in Qatar including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams. Veteran Tim Ream, versatile fullback Sergino Dest and goalkeeper Matt Turner were also involved as the Americans pushed themselves to the Round of 16.

With the competition now on North American soil, there will be plenty of expectation for the USMNT to not only advance out of Group D, but deliver a positive run in the knockout stages.

Should their leading talents not deliver though, then it could lead to an early exit for the Americans.

Here are five USMNT players that I think will dictate how far their tournament run goes:

Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic looks ready to lead the USMNT to new heights this summer.

Pulisic ended his lengthy goalscoring drought in a 3-2 victory over Senegal while also assisting once in the result. The talented USMNT goalscorer and playmaker also delivered a positive performance in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Germany, despite not registering a shot on target.

Pulisic entered camp in a worrying state of form after a disappointing second half of the season with AC Milan, but now looks to have found his footing again in front of goal.

A confident and fired up Pulisic will only serve as a spark for the rest of the USMNT, knowing that he can be a match winner on any day.

Chris Richards

Chris Richards may not have featured in each of the final World Cup tuneups but looks to be trending upward for a return on Friday.

Richards returned to team training on Monday and was also part of the plans on Tuesday from the USMNT’s training camp in Irvine, California. The Crystal Palace defender had been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury back on May 17, which forced him to miss the last two matches of his club campaign.

With Richards out, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, and Auston Trusty all earned minutes against Germany and Senegal. However, the American backline conceded four goals in 180 minutes and also endured some mistakes along the way.

A healthy Richards would do wonders for the USMNT against a trio of opposing attacks that are very capable of being slowed down.

Tyler Adams

From the opening whistle on Friday, you will surely see Tyler Adams cover every blade of grass at Los Angeles Stadium.

Adams may not be the captain of the USMNT, but his presence is vital in them keeping their shape and playing with intensity. The veteran midfielder’s range is second-to-none and his off-the-ball impact could play a major role in the USMNT finding success against Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey.

Playing in a deep role, Adams will allow playmakers such as Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, Sergino Dest, and others to make things happen in the final third.

As long as Adams stays healthy, I expect Pochettino to play him 90 minutes every match.

Weston McKennie

Another important midfielder is Weston McKennie, who has continued to add more and more creativity to his game.

McKennie is coming off his most productive season with Serie A side Juventus and is now set for his second World Cup. Another key veteran, McKennie should see a higher role than Adams, bringing similar range and physicality to the mix.

Not only is McKennie important defensively, he is also known for popping up around the 18-yard box and being a threat on aerials, corners, and free kicks.

He should easily remain as one of the first names on the team sheet.

Folarin Balogun

It may be Folarin Balogun’s World Cup debut this summer, but it’s unlikely you will see him shy away from the big moment.

Balogun scored in the 3-2 win over Senegal and came close to finding the back of the net against Germany. After notching 19 goals and a Player of the Season award for French club Monaco, Balogun looks ready to lead the USMNT’s attack at the No. 9 position.

Pochettino provided chances to Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright, Brian White, and Patrick Agyemang in 2025 and it was Balogun who ended the year on a high note. He scored in three-straight international windows to close the year before delivering yet against in Charlotte on May 31.

The USMNT will need to ride the hot hand to start the group stage and it’s hard to see anyone but Balogun in the XI on Friday.

How important are these five players to the USMNT in your opinion? Do you think someone else is equally as important that was not named in this list? Do you expect any major surprises?

Share your thoughts below.

Source: Sbisoccer.com