USMNT: Who will be the 9 at the World Cup? Balogun, Wright, Pepi and more.

The Fight for the 9: Who will lead the United States attack at the World Cup?

During the last two World Cup cycles, the starting forward position for the United States men’s national soccer team has been an unresolved enigma. Several players have had the opportunity, but none have managed to definitively establish themselves. In the past, figures like Eric Wynalda and Brian McBride led the American attack in the 1990s and 2000s. More recently, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey carried the flag in the 2014 World Cup and beyond. However, since then, the search for a starting center forward has become a priority. The 2022 World Cup cycle did not reveal a striker capable of offering consistency. Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Pefok, Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, and Gyasi Zardes had opportunities, but none managed to establish themselves. Haji Wright was finally selected for the tournament, although an injury to Sargent and the lack of effectiveness of Ferreira and Wright limited the team’s performance in Qatar. The current cycle has been even more uncertain. Pepi, Sargent, and Wright remain in contention, joined by Folarin Balogun and Patrick Agyemang. Although Balogun has gained ground thanks to his performance in a recent friendly against Japan, he has not yet secured the position. With the friendly matches in October against Ecuador and Australia, the competition for the “9” position for the US national team under the direction of Mauricio Pochettino ahead of next summer’s World Cup is at its peak. We analyze the five main candidates, along with a statistical comparison of their profiles.

The Candidates for the Forward Position

Folarin Balogun | 24 years old | AS MonacoBalogun, who chose to represent the United States over England and Nigeria in May 2023, seemed to be the long-term answer for the striker position. He scored in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League final against Canada, and was one of the few players who stood out in the 2024 Copa América. However, injuries, including a shoulder injury that required surgery in December 2024, have prevented him from establishing himself. Balogun’s mobility allows him to get away from opposing defenses, although the American attack hasn’t always been effective at finding him in those positions. His movement also creates space for players like Christian Pulisic, Timothy Weah, or Alejandro Zendejas. The match against Japan in September demonstrated his versatility, even showcasing his ability to play with his back to the goal and maintain ball possession. His doubts center on his durability and the need to get consistent playing time at Monaco, where competition is fierce. This season, he has only recorded one goal and one assist in the league, in 332 minutes played.Statistical comparable: Nicolas Jackson. Balogun has shown himself to be a runner and ball carrier with good finishing and chance creation. In the last three years, he has averaged 0.50 goals from 3.69 shots per 90 minutes. Unfortunately, like Jackson, he has also proven to be a poor finisher: those 0.50 goals per 90 come from shots worth 0.70 xG per 90.Haji Wright | 27 years old | Coventry CityWright is the only American center forward with a goal in the World Cup. Currently, he is showing a great level in the English Championship, where his eight goals lead the league and have propelled Coventry to the top of the table. Wright is versatile, with a height of 1.90 meters that allows him to be strong in the aerial game, but he is also fast enough to play on the wing. His ability to find opportunities is impressive, as demonstrated by his goal in the 5-0 victory against Sheffield Wednesday. In the last World Cup, he sometimes seemed slow in his reactions. Although that was almost three years ago, it’s an image that will persist until he performs at a higher level.Statistical comparison: Randal Kolo Muani. Wright is not as good a passer as Kolo Muani, but he scores (0.56 goals per 90 minutes) and pushes the ball a lot. In the last three years, he has averaged 6.1 progressive carries per 90, receiving 1.42 fouls per 90 in that span. That creates an uncommon profile and makes Kolo Muani the best comparison.Patrick Agyemang | 24 years old | Derby CountyAgyemang offers a different profile to Balogun and Wright, based on his physical presence (1.93 meters) and his aerial ability. These characteristics were seen in Derby County’s 1-1 draw against Southampton, where Agyemang headed his team’s only goal. Agyemang is a raw talent and sometimes struggles with control and retention play. However, he seems perfect for scoring important goals and his passing ability has earned him two assists in 307 minutes in the EFL Championship.

Agyemang’s chances of securing a spot on the World Cup roster depend on his health and Pochettino’s decisions. If Pochettino only chooses three forwards and a player like Pepi is healthy, Agyemang could be one of those left out. But his “different profile” could be what secures him a place, especially if Pochettino opts for four forwards.

Statistical comparison: Olivier Giroud. Agyemang is excellent in aerial play (47.5% aerial success) and has no problems drawing fouls (2.05 fouls received per 90, 0.92 in the attacking third). This makes him very similar to Giroud, as does his finishing quality: he averages 0.51 goals from shots with a value of 0.40 xG, and 90% of his shots have been from inside the area, although his shot totals are not very high and he does not participate in other areas of the field.Ricardo Pepi | 22 years old | PSV EindhovenThree years ago, Pepi was the player who didn’t make the United States roster for Qatar. Now, Pepi aspires to be on the 2026 team, as long as his physical condition allows it. In 2025, Pepi has struggled with his physical condition. He suffered a knee injury in the Champions League match against Liverpool that required surgery, forcing him to miss last summer’s Gold Cup. Pepi’s recovery has been intermittent; PSV took him slowly, and he seemed to be back after scoring two goals against NEC Nijmegen last month, but a recent muscle injury has sidelined him. It is not believed to be serious, but it prevented him from participating in this training camp. While Pepi has several impressive attributes, his movement allows him to detect opportunities and finish passes that other forwards might miss. Combine this with his link-up play and you have a striker capable of contributing a lot to the United States team. But time is running out for Pepi to make a greater impression.Statistical comparison: Lautaro Martínez. More than any other forward on this list, Pepi gets involved, just like Martínez. His offensive numbers are inflated by playing in the Eredivisie, but they are still excellent (0.74 goals and 1.36 chances created per 90 minutes), and he is proving to be a reliable finisher (those goals come from shots with a value of 0.52 xG). He also excels in defense, averaging 5.53 defensive interventions per 90, a stellar figure for a forward.

Announcement of the United States roster for the October friendlies.

Josh Sargent | 25 years old | Norwich City

Rarely has the difference between a player’s performance for their club and their international performance been as stark as with Sargent. The player from O’Fallon, Missouri, has scored double-digit goals in each of his last three full seasons with the Canaries in the Championship, and is on track to do so this year with five goals in nine league games. This makes Sargent’s drought with the US national team – he hasn’t scored for the United States in his last 17 international appearances, since November 2019 – all the more perplexing.

Perhaps his drought is due to the fact that, while Sargent does many things well (be it his movement, his link-up play, and, yes, also his finishing), there isn’t an aspect of his game that seems elite enough to help him make a difference in a World Cup. Pochettino seems to have noticed it too. Even with Pepi injured in this call-up, there was no place for Sargent among the forwards on the list. He has World Cup experience, and that counts, but it may not be enough.Statistical comparable: Moise Kean. Sargent is the most statistically unremarkable of the American forwards on this list, but like Kean, he is a willing presser (4.09 defensive interventions per 90 minutes since the start of the 2024-25 season) and an above-average finisher (0.56 goals per 90 from shots worth 0.48 xG). However, his shot totals are always lower than desired (2.43 shots per 90), and he doesn’t stand out as a passer. Balogun, Pepi, Wright, and Agyemang seem to be in a position to be part of the squad for the World Cup, in that order. Four forwards may seem like too many, but the four have different profiles that can help the United States at various times. Flexibility is vital in a tournament like the World Cup. As for who will start, Balogun has the advantage at the moment, but that situation can change quickly. At this stage, it seems the only way Sargent will return to the World Cup is if others get injured or suffer a significant drop in their performance.