Christian Pulisic glides past defenders with the kind of lightness that makes world-class fullbacks look ordinary, and this summer, the 27-year-old AC Milan winger will try to do it on the biggest stage imaginable — his own country's doorstep.
The United States men's national team has named its 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Pulisic stands as the undisputed headliner, a role he's occupied since his teenage years. This will be soccer's most ambitious World Cup yet, spread across three nations — the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — with stadiums packed and the weight of home-soil expectation heavy on American shoulders. The roster tells the story of a squad built from all corners: sons of soccer royalty, players discovered in small towns and big cities, even a Super Bowl winner among their ranks.
Pulisic proved his mettle at the last World Cup in Qatar two years ago, delivering the game-winning goal against Iran that carried the Americans into the round of 16. But heading into this tournament, the Hershey, Pennsylvania native has been misfiring. He finished Italy's Serie A season goalless since December and hasn't found the target for his country since 2024, despite being the league's top scorer in its first half.
The offensive hopes don't rest on Pulisic alone. Folarin Balogun, the 24-year-old striker from New York who was raised in London, scored 18 goals across UEFA Champions League and Ligue 1 matches last season while playing for AS Monaco. The hard-running forward, nicknamed "Balo," is expected to spearhead the American attack when the World Cup opens against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12. "My mind naturally wanders to the opening game of the World Cup, and just the atmosphere," Balogun said last September. "It's almost like a freeze-frame, like a perfect image in my mind." Eligible to play for the U.S., England, or Nigeria through his parents' heritage, Balogun brings the clinical finishing touch the American squad has historically lacked.
Ricardo Pepi, the 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven striker, is fighting for his moment. He's netted 19 goals across all competitions for the Dutch club this season but has scored just 13 times in 35 appearances for the national team since his 2021 debut. Passed over for the 2022 World Cup by then-manager Gregg Berhalter, Pepi arrives with something to prove and a chip on his shoulder.
Brenden Aaronson, 25, represents another homegrown success story. The Philadelphia Union academy product was called the "Medford Messi" in his youth for his creativity and technical skill before moving to Red Bull Salzburg at 19 in what was then the highest transfer fee for a U.S.-based homegrown player in MLS history. Now a Leeds United midfielder wearing No. 11, he brings Premier League experience and 57 appearances for his country.
These 26 players carry the rare honor of representing their nation as co-hosts, playing on home soil in what promises to be the largest World Cup tournament ever staged. The country and the world will be watching.