USMNT’s Countdown to the World Cup
The European football season is already underway. With the start of the English Championship and the 2. Bundesliga, the Premier League, LaLiga and Ligue 1 joined this weekend. Serie A and Bundesliga will start next week. This means that the players of the United States men’s national soccer team (USMNT) will begin to accumulate minutes with their respective clubs, if they haven’t already, while their teammates in MLS are in the middle of the 2025 season. Alofoke Deportes will monitor the progress of these players throughout the season, offering weekly analysis of those players who stand out for their form or physical condition, as well as updates on the USMNT player pool. We will count down the days until June 11th, so that when the list of those called up for the World Cup is announced, no name will be a surprise. Welcome to the USMNT World Cup Countdown! Only 301 days left.Key Players Analysis
Sergiño Dest | Right-back | PSV EindhovenMinutes 2025-26: 172 FotMob Rating 2025-26: 8.2 Dest has had a spectacular start to the season at PSV, scoring the winning goal in the Dutch Super Cup against Go Ahead Eagles and scoring again in the 6-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam. His return to form is excellent news for USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, who has yet to see Dest in action after his anterior cruciate ligament injury a year ago. Dest’s ability to generate unexpected plays from the right wing has been key in the team’s attack, and his injury limited the offensive options, giving rivals more freedom to mark players like Christian Pulisic. Dest’s return to the USMNT in September is expected to be a significant boost.Josh Sargent | Forward | Norwich CityMinutes 2025-26: 152 FotMob Rating 2025-26: 7.2 The difference between Sargent’s performance at his club and his performance with the USMNT became evident this weekend. In Norwich City’s 2-1 loss against Millwall, Sargent scored his team’s only goal with his back, following a failed clearance attempt by Millwall goalkeeper Steven Benda. With the USMNT, Sargent hasn’t scored in over five years. If he wants to regain Pochettino’s trust, he will need to keep performing with Norwich. This, unless he moves to another club during the summer transfer window.Matt Turner | Goalkeeper | New England Revolution
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Possible Starting Eleven
Who would make up Pochettino’s starting eleven if the World Cup started tomorrow? This week, we try to predict the starting lineup based on performance and physical condition.
Injuries are a constant factor in the national team’s lineups, and this time it’s no different. The left-back position is problematic. Fulham coach Marco Silva said Antonee Robinson is not fit to start the Premier League season after minor knee surgery. Watford’s Caleb Wiley is also injured, so he is unavailable. This leaves Max Arfsten of Columbus Crew as an option. Arfsten’s performance in the Gold Cup was irregular, especially in defense. However, his off-the-ball play improved during the tournament, and although John Tolkin, from Holstein Kiel, was also an option, Arfsten is the choice based on Pochettino’s preference for his contribution to the attack. Offensive midfield positions are also affected by injuries, with Pulisic and Tillman out of action. The inclusion of Alejandro Zendejas, from América, could surprise some, considering he was not on the initial Big Board 1.0 list. But, based on his current form, Zendejas is the choice, as he has performed outstandingly for América throughout the year. The big question is: Does Pochettino really value him? The September window will reveal it. Diego Luna is the choice for the center of the field. Although he was sent off in the 2-1 defeat against the New York Red Bulls for two yellow cards, he seemed more like a victim than an aggressor in the play that earned him the second caution. He also provided a key pass for RSL’s only goal. With other players injured, Luna is the choice, although he will have to keep calm, as he will surely receive more fouls. The rest of the team is made up of familiar names this week, but the weekend could bring many changes.Big Board 1.0 Update
This week, Alofoke Deportes’ Big Board 1.0 was published, and each Big Board will provide the basis for weekly player updates. Below are the minutes and ratings of the 35 players. Matt Turner, goalkeeper, New England Revolution: 90 minutes in 2025; 8.2 FotMob rating in 2025. Matt Freese, goalkeeper, New York City FC: 2,160 minutes in 2025; 7.1 FotMob rating in 2025. Zack Steffen, goalkeeper, Colorado Rapids: 1,710 minutes in 2025; 7.2 FotMob rating in 2025. Patrick Schulte, goalkeeper, Columbus Crew: 1,890 minutes in 2025; 6.7 FotMob rating in 2025. Chris Richards, center-back, Crystal Palace: 90 minutes in 2025-26; 6.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26. Tim Ream, center-back, Charlotte FC: 1,712 minutes in 2025; 6.6 FotMob rating in 2025. Mark McKenzie, central defender, Toulouse: 0 minutes in 2025-26; 0.0 FotMob rating in 2025-26. Cameron Carter-Vickers, center-back, Celtic: 180 minutes in 2025-26; 7.7 FotMob rating in 2025-26. Miles Robinson, center back, FC Cincinnati: 2,180 minutes in 2025; 6.9 FotMob rating in 2025. Auston Trusty, center-back, Celtic: 48 minutes in 2025-26; 6.4 FotMob rating in 2025-26. Sergiño Dest, full-back, PSV Eindhoven: 172 minutes in 2025-26; 8.2 FotMob rating in 2025-26.
