USMNT 2026 World Cup depth chart: Picking apart the wingers | OneFootball

To succeed at the 2026 World Cup, the USMNT will need to score goals. That will likely require creating chances from the flanks. Luckily, that’s an area of strength for the USMNT, largely because of Christian Pulisic. Of course, it’s worth looking at the other players Mauricio Pochettino has at that position and which players might be on next summer’s World Cup roster.

The two we know

There’s little doubt that both Pulisic and Tim Weah will be on the 2026 World Cup roster. Furthermore, virtually any projection of the startling lineup for the World Cup opener will have both players involved. After all, they combined to score the first USMNT goal at the 2022 World Cup. Plus, both figure to be in the prime of their career during the 2026 World Cup, so they are well-positioned to star for the U.S.

By next summer, any controversy over why Pulisic sat out the Gold Cup this past summer should be gone. All that matters is that he’s able to stay healthy and have another productive season for AC Milan, as Pulisic has been among the top attacking players in Serie A since joining the club in 2023.

Weah, meanwhile, is back in France after transferring to Marseille this summer. Even with a modest seven goals in 44 international appearances, Weah is an established player with the USMNT, including a goal in the 2022 World Cup. Barring something dramatic, it's hard to envision someone taking his starting spot on the national team.

New kid on the block

With Weah and Pulisic absent during the Gold Cup, Diego Luna took full advantage of his opportunity to get onto the field. Lune endeared himself to fans in January by playing with a broken nose. He did even more during the Gold Cup, scoring three goals during the knockout stage, including a brace in the semifinals against Guatemala.

Even before his coming-out party at the Gold Cup, it was clear that Pochettino was a big fan of Luna. He has a clever first touch, a knack for finishing scoring chances, and is capable of playing on either wing or in the no. 10 position.

Granted, overtaking Pulisic or Weah for a starting spot is hard to imagine. But Luna likely did enough during the Gold Cup to give himself an inside track on making the World Cup roster.

Room for more?

Whether there is room for more wingers than Pulisic, Weah, and Luna on the World Cup roster remains to be seen. Pochettino might prefer to bring more depth at other positions, especially since Pulisic and Weah will likely play most of the minutes.

However, versatile players like Yunus Musah, who can also play in a more central midfield role, or Haji Wright, who can also provide depth at striker, could make their way onto the roster and serve as a winger if needed.

Beyond that group, there are a few players on the fringe who might be worth monitoring in the months to come. Kevin Paredes has made an impact with several youth national teams. But the right winger missed most of the 2024-25 season with Wolfsburg because of an injury and is hurt again at the start of this season, so his development has been somewhat stunted.

Griffin Yow is another option to provide depth after scoring 13 goals in the Belgian Pro League for Westerlo over the past two seasons. Cade Cowell is another young winger, although he’s scored just one goal in 11 international caps.

Players like Paredes, Yow, and Cowell could all be a couple of years away from hitting their stride and being serious considerations for the national team.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Alejandro Zendejas is in his prime and could be a more serious candidate for the World Cup roster if Pochettino finds room for another winger. He’s hit his stride with Club America in Liga MX over the last few seasons.

However, Zendejas has struggled to translate that to the international level, scoring just once in 11 appearances for the USMNT.

The bottom line

As mentioned, it’ll likely be Pulisic and Weah playing most of the minutes at the World Cup next summer. Even if Luna or one of the other players earns a roster spot, barring an injury, it’ll be Pulisic and Weah on the field, and the U.S. will sink or swim based on how they perform. Of course, since both are World Cup veterans who have played at big European clubs, that’s not such a bad thing, even if there is a steep drop-off in quality and experience among wingers other than Pulisic and Weah.