USMNT Stock Up, Stock Down: Christian Pulisic Turns Tides, Folarin Balogun’s Woes Worsen
The stars of the U.S. men’s national team had quite the week worldwide. Seven found the back of the net, while others anchored their squads for massive wins.
It’s a welcomed problem for USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino, whose job of naming a roster for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League action just became that much harder. The Argentine boss is taking notes, certainly scribbling down who is exceeding expectations and who is coming up short. He is anticipated to name his squad next week, determining those best suited to overcome Haiti in the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s weekly stock up, stock down analysis for USMNT players.
USMNT Stock Up
Weston McKennie
Pochettino left Weston McKennie off of his fall roster last month, and although the USMNT still cruised to a perfect four wins in the star midfielder’s absence, Pochettino would be foolish to do it again.
The 28-year-old was the heartbeat of the Stars and Stripes’ midfield at the 2026 World Cup this summer and has been for several years. In the wake of the tournament, he has continued to flaunt his assets for club side Juventus.
McKennie had his first goal of the new season on Sunday, opening scoring against Serie A foe Lecce in the 29th minute. Tracking a free kick into the box, McKennie practically slid all the way into the goal mouth to see the ball through. Juventus left the Stadio Via del Mare with a 2–0 win and have lost just once in the last five league outings, all seeing significant contributions from McKennie.
Post-World Cup, Pochettino has been adamant to trial new, younger players in attempt to curate his perfect roster come the 2030 edition, prompting him to give opportunities to the likes of several midfielders, including Brooklyn Raines and Adri Mehmeti. Although newly named captain Tyler Adams can show those youngsters the ropes on the defensive side of the ball, they will need a player like McKennie to blueprint the creative flair that Pochettino so desires in the center of the pitch.
Christian Pulisic
Consistency has not been Pulisic’s strong suit as of late, so perhaps take his recent progress with a grain of salt.
Nevertheless, a USMNT optimist will see the past week as a sign that Pulisic is successfully turning a corner. Now firmly re-established in AC Milan’s starting lineup (at least for Serie A matches), the 28-year-old attacker has grown more and more confident as the new season progresses.
He scored his second goal of the season on Sunday just six minutes into the league match against Udinese. He perfectly timed his run through the gap in the opponent’s backline in order to meet the end of a long ball from teammate Luka Modrić. A brilliant first touch settled the lofted ball and set up Pulisic for a damning finish.
Milan secured a 2–0 win on the road, and Pulisic was given Player of the Match honors. To compound an exciting weekend, he is reportedly now in the advanced stages of contract negotiations with the Rossoneri, a renewal that would see him earn a significant pay raise.
Is Pochettino paying close attention, or has the manager firmly written off “Captain America?”
USMNT Stock Down
Johnny Cardoso
Johnny Cardoso simply can’t catch a break. After missing out on the 2026 World Cup due to injury, the star midfielder is sidelined once again with an ailment that could leave him out of Pochettino’s future plans.
The 25-year-old suffered a muscular injury in his thigh last week, experiencing discomfort in Atlético Madrid’s Champions League clash with Stuttgart on Oct. 20. He then missed Saturday’s La Liga bout with Deportivo A Coruña.
The setback is a massive blow when considering the success Cardoso was experiencing on the pitch. He played a pivotal role in the team’s recent wins over Manchester United and Real Madrid, clocking 90 minutes in the midfield during both affairs.
Although his recovery timeline is reported to be less than a few weeks—Atléti labelled his injury as “low grade,” he remained absent from Wednesday’s team training and may not return to fitness in time to be considered for Pochettino’s November roster.
Cardoso has not featured for the USMNT since March, missing the summer’s grand affair after undergoing ankle surgery just weeks before group stage play.
Folarin Balogun
What happened to Folarin Balogun? The USMNT star striker—the very one that dazzled on the world stage this summer and became the most common household name—has been quiet in the tournament’s aftermath.
The red card scandal that rattled the World Cup (and the White House), the subsequent transfer saga that left him right where he started and a minor leg injury each alone would have probably been enough to take a toll on the 25-year-old’s capabilities. Combine all three, and perhaps it’s not so surprising that he is still struggling months later.
After a frankly ridiculous 19 goals last season for Monaco across all competitions and three for the USMNT in just four World Cup appearances, Balogun has failed to reach even remotely similar heights in the new season.
Once a mainstay in the starting lineup for club and country, he has featured in only four matches for Monaco this fall, all off the bench. He played just a single minute against a 10-man Lille on Sunday, substituting onto the pitch in the 90th minute of the 1–1 draw.
Whether Balogun restores his place in Monaco’s front line remains to be seen, especially since he faces fierce competition from 20-year-old Paris Brunner, Balogun’s understudy last season who is already up to four goals in league play this fall.
Another question surrounds Balogun’s place on Pochettino’s November roster. He didn’t get the call up last month, resulting in the likes of teenagers Julian Hall and Justin Ellis shining on the international stage. Combined, the young duo had five goals in their debut camp. Pochettino certainly doesn’t need Balogun to succeed next month, but does he want him?
