Christian Pulisic wrote the best start to a season of his career, raising expectations around the U.S. men’s national team with the 2026 World Cup set to be played on North American soil. However, with less than six months until the tournament begins, a USMNT legend looked past the Milan star when naming the American player he believes will impress the most.
One of the trailblazers for American players reaching top European leagues, particularly the Premier League, was Brad Friedel. The former goalkeeper spent more than a decade with the national team, earning 82 caps, a total that interestingly puts him alongside Pulisic on the all-time list. Still, Friedel did not include the forward among his players to watch.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Friedel was asked which USMNT player would stand out at the World Cup, and the former goalkeeper offered a direct answer: “My favorite player with the US, and it has been since I was the under-19 national team coach, is Weston McKennie. He didn’t have his best time at Leeds — I think it’s well-documented why — but as far as talent, this kid is amazing.
“He has it all. If he is focused and prepared and fit, he’s excellent,” Friedel added. Beyond the Juventus midfielder, he also highlighted other key contributors in the squad. “I really like him and Tyler Adams playing together in the middle of midfield. Chris Richards has also really improved over the last year and when I say improved, he’s become a leader,” the former Tottenham Hotspur said.
Weston McKennie of Juventus.
“He’s become a really good player with Crystal Palace. I think we have one of the best left-backs in the entire tournament, Antonee Robinson. I think he’s outstanding. We do have a really competitive team,” Friedel continued, notably leaving Pulisic out of his list of potential breakout performers.
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The former keeper concluded by pointing to the collective identity built under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, suggesting the team no longer revolves around one star: “We have some good players. You need those X-factor players at the end of it. We’re more of a team rather than individuals that are going to set the world alight.“
Could Pulisic return to form for the 2026 World Cup?
Pulisic’s 2025-26 season has been a mix of highs and lows, both with AC Milan and the national team. At the international level, the winger missed the CONCACAF Gold Cup before returning against South Korea, Japan, Ecuador and Australia, the match in which he suffered a muscle injury that sidelined him for the November international window.
At club level, Pulisic emerged as one of Milan’s key players early in the season, enjoying the best start of his career and even sharing the top spot in the Serie A scoring race with Lautaro Martínez, despite playing significantly fewer minutes. However, fast-forward to 2026 and the American has struggled, failing to record a single goal contribution in Milan’s first six league matches of the year.
Injuries have once again interrupted Pulisic’s momentum, halting what had been a promising run of form. With just five months remaining before the World Cup kicks off, the focus now is on regaining full fitness and rhythm, as the USMNT will hope their most recognizable star can return to peak level and lead on the sport’s biggest stage.
