The U.S. men’s national team will face numerous challenges in the run-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The club situations of potential players will be looked at with a microscope in terms of who is playing and who isn’t, but perhaps the biggest challenge of all will be just staying healthy.

The sad reality is that injury will strike a subset of players and prevent them from taking part in the biggest soccer party on the planet. In 2022, it was Chris Richards and Miles Robinson who missed out. In 2014, it was Stuart Holden who didn’t make the plane to Brazil, while Jozy Altidore was sidelined with a hamstring strain just minutes into the tournament.

So it goes for the USMNT this cycle, with the team’s hospital wing busier than manager Mauricio Pochettino would prefer. At least in some cases, a few players have made it back onto the field, but sadly, there is an exception.

Throughout the season, ESPN will be monitoring the progress of the player pool, delivering insights into those whose form or fitness has made them particularly intriguing. We call it the USMNT’s countdown to the 2026 World Cup.

ESPN will count down to June 11 every week. When the U.S. team is announced for this highly anticipated World Cup on home soil, no names on that 26-man roster will come as a surprise. Only 176 days to go.

2025-26 minutes: 1,219
2025-26 FotMob rating: 6.9

Another injury interrupts Adams’ strong season

Adams has endured his share of injuries over the course of his club career. A hamstring problem sidelined him for much of the 2023-24 season, while a back ailment following the 2024 Copa América limited his playing time as well. So it was with much relief that Adams showed some durability this season, playing in 14 of Bournemouth’s first 15 league matches. That is until Monday’s encounter against Manchester United, when Adams was substituted with not even five minutes on the clock due to a knee injury following a foot-to-foot challenge with United’s Matheus Cunha.

The early diagnosis for Adams is a sprained left MCL, although it’s unclear how much time he’ll miss.

“It’s bad news for us, because Tyler is massive for us,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said.

The injury comes at a time when Adams was near peak form, having just won the Premier League‘s Goal of the Month for his 47-yard dart against Sunderland. The hope is that Adams will recover in time to take part in the March international window.

2025-26 minutes: 331
2025-26 FotMob rating: 6.9

Robinson’s return strengthens U.S. defense

The Adams news is countered by the return to the field of Robinson, who made his first start of the Premier League season in the Cottagers’ 3-2 win over Burnley, and even contributed a secondary assist on Calvin Bassey‘s goal. But what warmed the heart the most was that Robinson went the distance in Fulham’s win. He then followed that up with another 90-minute appearance — and a primary assist — in Fulham’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

The defender’s recovery from knee surgery last May has been stop-start. He missed the start of the Premier League season but then made a handful of appearances in September. He suffered a setback soon thereafter, and even as he joined his international teammates for the October window, discomfort in his knee was such that he was unable to get on the field.

Robinson’s absence has given players like Max Arfsten and John Tolkin a chance to stake their claim for the World Cup, but it’s clear that Robinson’s experience and ability on both sides of the ball mean he’s a cut above the competition. The USMNT is better off with his return.

2025-26 minutes: 868
2025-26 FotMob rating: 7.1

Pepi making his case to supplant Balogun

Pepi has endured some injuries of his own this season, in particular a muscle injury in his upper leg at the end of September that has made it difficult for him to unseat Guus Til for the starting striker spot with PSV. But Pepi is hitting peak form of late, scoring four goals in his past five matches — four of those starts. An even bigger help is that manager Peter Bosz has moved Til back into midfield the past few games, allowing both players to get on the field at the same time.

The change has helped Pepi make the kind of run he needs if he’s to make some headway at both club and international level. The path to a starting spot with the U.S. looks to be a bit more challenging, as AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun is maintaining his grip on the position, but Pepi’s goals mean he’ll remain in Pochettino’s reckoning.

The in-form XI

Adams’ injury means a slight change in this week’s in-form XI.

With Middlesbrough‘s Aidan Morris also dealing with an ankle injury in recent weeks, Weston McKennie gets moved back to the center of midfield alongside Tanner Tessmann. McKennie’s placement speaks to his versatility. For Juventus, he has played as a wingback, a center midfielder and even as an attacking midfielder for a spell. He has played the latter two positions for the USMNT. When the next international window arrives in March, it will be interesting to see where McKennie is deployed.

Having McKennie slide in beside Tessmann creates a spot for Malik Tillman, who has adapted well to new surroundings at Bayer Leverkusen. At the start of the campaign, it looked like he was boarding a sinking ship, with manager Xabi Alonso and a passel of star players all leaving. When Alonso’s replacement, Erik ten Hag, was fired early on, those fears appeared to be confirmed. There was also the challenge of Tillman making the jump from the Eredivisie to the Bundesliga, but the U.S. international has successfully navigated that switch to be a solid contributor and has earned the trust of new manager Kasper Hjulmand. Impressive stuff so far.

Also impressive, but flying a bit under the radar, has been the development of Patrick Agyemang with Derby County. Agyemang is another player who has been tasked with making the jump to a more competitive league, going from MLS to the English Championship, but he has handled the move with aplomb.

His two goals in a 3-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday earlier this week gave him eight goal contributions in 1,221 minutes this season, second highest on the team, as Derby are now within four points of the playoff places. Another plus for Agyemang is that he has been playing on the left wing after having been used almost entirely as a central striker with the USMNT. It’s a move that makes sense given that it allows the attacker to square up to goal more often.

Agyemang still has some players to climb over in order to secure a World Cup roster spot — Balogun, Pepi and Haji Wright appear to make up the center forward pecking order — but his form of late is keeping him in the running.

Argentine football star Lionel Messi concluded his chaos-hit India tour with a visit to Vantara, where he was reportedly gifted a rare, million-dollar watch by Indian billionaire’s son, Anant Ambani.

The official Instagram account of Vantara, the wildlife conservation and rehabilitation centre founded by Anant, shared a video showing him giving a tour to the football star.

During the tour, Anant “shared the purpose that drives Vantara, where animal welfare comes first, and every decision is shaped by care and long-term commitment”, read the caption of the post.

However, what grabbed netizens’ attention was the watch Messi wore during the tour.

Eagled-eyed social media users noted that the Argentinian star arrived at the centre without wearing a watch and was later spotted wearing a rare Richard Mille watch.

India’s NDTV later reported that Anant gifted Messi the watch worth around $1.1 million during the visit. 

The outlets identified it as the Richard Mille RM 003-V2 GMT Tourbillon “Asia Edition”, one of only 12 pieces made globally.

The watch’s value is slightly less than Messi’s $1.7 million monthly salary at Inter Miami.

Data released by the MLS Players Association showed that the Inter Miami forward was taking home a total of $20.45 million per annum.

Messi kicked off his India tour in a chaotic fashion at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on December 13, when fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch.

Enraged fans vandalised the stadium after the Argentine soccer great made only a brief appearance at a ticketed event.

Tickets for the event were priced from around $38.65 — more than half of the average weekly income in India — with one fan saying he had paid $130 for the event.

However, his final appearance at the Arun Jaitley Stadium went smoothly as he greeted chanting supporters dressed in Argentina jerseys, waving flags and shouting his name.

Clad in a pink jersey and black trousers, Messi enthralled the audience with his charm as he kicked footballs into the crowd and obliged star-struck delegates and fans with selfies.