Jason Burgos
If the US Men’s National Team hopes to get out of the World Cup group stage and make some noise in the elimination round, former men’s team goalie Tim Howard believes four specific players need to have strong showings in the tournament.
We are a little over a week away from the start of the 2026 World Cup. And for the first time in over 30 years, the USMNT will play games on home soil. While there is excitement about this year’s event, the US team has always struggled in the World Cup and has advanced past the Round of 16 twice in its history. The last time in 2002.
So, it’s understandable if American fans are pessimistic about their team’s chances in 2026. Someone who knows what it takes to advance in the World Cup is Howard. A man who has guarded the net for the USMNT in three World Cups. The current NBC analyst recently spoke with Sportsnaut to promote his new partnership with Lysol in conjunction with this year’s tournament and revealed several players need to shine if Team USA wants to make it out of group play.
Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie MUST be ‘outstanding’ to go far in World Cup
“Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, and Matt Freese, our goalkeeper,” Howard said. “I think Pulisic is the best player on the team, so of course, there’s pressure on him. That argument could also be made for McKennie and what he’s done this season at Juventus. And Freese is sort of the unknown.
“I think for any US men’s team that goes into a World Cup and their goalkeeper doesn’t perform well, they’re not going to perform well as a team. It’s that simple,” he added. “Freese has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but I think he is capable of handling that.”
“I think Fol Balogun will lead the line, and it’s not on him to win the golden boot and score the most goals. He just needs to perform well, get a goal or two, and bring other people into the game. If Balogun doesn’t have a great tournament, I just don’t know if we can sustain the rest of it.”
While Howard thinks the USMNT’s chance of success is riding on how those players perform in June, he does believe the team has a good “spine.” So if that group can play “outstanding,” the national team has a good chance to at least get into the elimination round in 2026.
“The spine of the team is really strong. Balogun included, Christian Pulisic, wherever he pops up. Certainly Weston McKennie. Chris Richards, our centerback, and Matt Freese. If the spine of the team plays outstanding, I think the team can have a good showing,” said Howard.
