Roster analysis: Breaking down the midfielders

The United States Men’s National Team is going to have a monumental task ahead of them in 2026. The team will have to unite to take on the world as co-hosts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino will have the unenviable task of figuring out how to lower a player pool of about 55 players down to the 26 that will form the World Cup roster. It’s the roster that every American player worth their salt wants to be a part of, but it will end in heartbreak for many of them.

It’s a good chance to evaluate the player pool to see which players are in the mix for that World Cup roster and what they need to do individually and collectively to be at their best and help the USMNT go far in the tournament. With a little over six months until the World Cup opener, we will break down each of the main groups and what that group need to do to elevate their game to the highest level.

We’ve done the goalkeepers and the defenders, so we move forward with the midfielders.

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Tanner Tessmann (Lyon), Yunus Musah (Atalanta), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), James Sands (FC St. Pauli), Johnny Cardoso (Atlético Madrid), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew), Timmy Tillman (LAFC)

The midfielder group has battled some injuries at certain key positions, but through that it has become the deepest portion of the player pool. With guys out either due to injuries or other reasons, we’ve seen other players rise to the occasion and make the decision on who makes the World Cup roster extremely difficult for Mauricio Pochettino. Diego Luna, Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, and Sean Zawadski have taken advantage of their opportunities to impress Pochettino, and they’re firmly in the mix for World Cup spots where normally they may have been fringe call-ups at best.

With the change in defensive formation, it has allowed for more options in the midfield group as well via the wingback position. Pochettino has the opportunity to place in there wingers who can be more defensive-minded or true wingbacks that are defensive in style with the tendency to push forward on offense. But in the middle, you have options at each position and for anything that may arise during a match. The key thing, like every other position group, is the midfielders need to stay healthy and continue to elevate their game through consistent club minutes.

Some of the guys are likely on the outside in because of one of those two things at this point. Jack McGlynn is out until early next year due to a foot injury that sidelined him for the final part of the MLS season. Johnny Cardoso has been out with nagging injuries and it would be great to get him healthy and into the lineup at Atleti. Yunus Musah hasn’t performed well since moving to Atalanta. Gio Reyna has struggled for minutes at Borussia Mönchengladbach due to injuries and coach’s decision. Tyler Adams has missed some time on the USMNT due to injury as well. Getting the core back healthy and on the field will only make this team better.

Overall, the midfielders need to concentrate on being strong on the ball and controlling the pace of play. A physical midfield can be a boost during a World Cup where teams try to own the tempo and the possession. Turnovers have been an Achilles heel lately, and the connectivity between the defense and the midfield needs work to try and get the ball out of danger and still have the space to generate the attack.

Even when everyone is healthy, Pochettino will need to decide what kind of midfielders make the roster and how he wants them to play. There are a ton of guys who have played their way into consideration for the World Cup roster combined with what many feel are a couple locked in players. After that, what does he think the team needs? Is it a backup for defensive midfielder Tyler Adams? Is it someone who can be a box-to-box guy? Does he want to operate a double pivot? The answer could change from match to match, but the personnel needs to continue their improvement to put themselves in position to get the call.

It’s about generating offense. It’s about helping the defense, particularly when the wingbacks are pushed forward and leave open space on the counter. But most importantly, it’s about being strong with the ball, not making mistakes, and making the passes that can set up something great. A strong midfield is arguably the biggest key to success for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup, and this unit has a few more months to turn into the heartbeat of the team that beats proudly on the field while leading the team to victory.