Just because the UEFA Champions League is on hiatus until knockout play begins later this month doesn’t mean that many of the USA’s World Cup hopefuls around Europe have been idle with their clubs overseas this week.
Although it wasn’t a good week for some hoping to make coach Mauricio Pochettino’s roster for the 2026 tournament (more on that below), several USA stalwarts are angling for a career-defining turn this summer at the biggest World Cup ever.
World Cup Watch: Is This The USA’s Best Lineup?
Others — including banged-up star forward Christian Pulisic — aren’t faring quite as well across the Atlantic. Here’s how things stand for some of the USA’s notable players:
Stock Up
Tanner Tessman has been a reliable starter at Lyon. (Photo by Sébastien BOZON / AFP via Getty Images)
Tanner Tessmann, Midfielder, Lyon
Tessmann has gone all 90 minutes in five of the last seven Ligue 1 games he’s been available for, including Sunday’s 1-1 triumph over Lille. Lyon has not lost a match the Alabama-born FC Dallas academy product has started since November.
Folarin Balogun, Forward, Monaco
In five matches for Monaco in January, the 24-year-old striker managed a goal and two assists. He came off the bench with his club trailing 3-1 in Thursday’s Coupe de France round of 16 match away to Strasbourg and nearly pulled one back; his header beat home keeper Mike Penders but not his crossbar.
Stu Holden on his USA World Cup starting XI prediction, Ricardo Pepi’s Failed Transfer and More
Weston McKennie, Midfielder, Juventus
Named Juve’s Player of the Month of January earlier this week, McKennie had four goals in his last eight games for Luciano Spalletti’s side heading into Thursday’s 3-0 Italian Cup quarterfinal defeat away to Atalanta. The 27-year-old Texan played all 90 minutes.
Is Gio Reyna still in the picture for the World Cup? (Photo by Jürgen Fromme – firo sportphoto/Getty Images)
Gio Reyna, Midfiedler/Forward, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Although Reyna has missed ‘Gladbach’s last two matches because of muscular problems and doesn’t have a goal or assist in 13 Bundesliga appearances this season, Pochettino threw the 23-year-old attacker a lifeline last week.
“He hasn’t had the consistency we would have expected, but he’s a player – without consistent playing time – who came to us in November and performed at a very good level,” said Pochettino of Reyna, who scored in that month’s friendly win over Paraguay, the Americans’ opening group stage opponent next June. “[This] is a similar situation. We’re taking him into account for the decisions we’ll make in March and then for the World Cup.”
Malik Tillman, Midfielder/Forward, Bayer Leverkusen
Tillman built on his two-goal performance in the Champions League last week by scoring again over the weekend in Leverkusen’s 3-1 Bundesliga win away to Eintracht Frankfurt. The soft-spoken 23-year-old has six goals in 24 appearances across all competitions in 2025-26.
Stock Down
Christian Pulisic is battling injuries once again. (Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic, Midfielder/Forward, AC Milan
On pace for his best season yet last fall, Pulisic has been slowed considerably by a minor injury so far in 2026. The U.S. headliner didn’t travel for Milan’s 3-1 win over Bologna on Tuesday because of what Rossoneri manager Max Allegri called “bursitis,” apparently in his hip area. The 27-year-old remains Milan’s leading scorer despite no goal contributions through the first five games of this year.
Johnny Cardoso, Midfielder, Atlético Madrid
Beset by injury problems during the first half of the season, Cardodo’s run of four straight starts for Atleti ended Thursday when a muscle injury forced the 24-year-old to miss the 5-0 Copa del Rey quarterfinal win over Real Betis, his former club.
Time is running out for Yunus Musah. (Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Yunus Musah, Midfielder, Atalanta
The 23-year-old is running out of time to make the World Cup squad. After going 52 minutes in the Champions League last week, Musah didn’t feature in either of Atalanta’s last two games, a scoreless tie away to Como last weekend and Thursday’s big win over northern Italian rival Juve.
Haji Wright, Striker, Coventry City
The 27-year-old Los Angeles native was held scoreless in the Sky Blues’ last two games, both losses. After starting the season with nine goals in as many Championship games, Wright has just two in his last 17 appearances in England’s second tier. He’s clearly still on the radar, however: USMNT assistant coach Miguel D’Agostino will be in attendance on Saturday.when Coventry hosts Oxford United.