Grading Every Player on USMNT’s 2026 World Cup Roster
Sports Illustrated • • sports
Key Points:
- Mauricio Pochettino emphasized team performance over individual accolades following the USMNT's World Cup exit, resisting the common U.S. cultural focus on single players.
- Alex Freeman stood out as the top defender with an A grade, showing versatility and strong defensive skills, while goalkeeper Matt Freese struggled, notably with a critical error against Belgium.
- Midfielder Malik Tillman delivered a strong performance with two goals and one assist, becoming the team's primary creative force, whereas key players like Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams had mixed impacts.
- Forward Folarin Balogun earned an A- for his maturity and goal-scoring, contrasting with disappointing showings from Tim Weah and Brenden Aaronson, both receiving failing grades.
- Several squad members, including Chris Brady and Alejandro Zendejas, saw little to no playing time, highlighting depth issues and limited contributions from some roster players during the tournament.
