The 2026 World Cup is coming to America, and competition for places in Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT squad is reaching a breaking point.
With the MLS season five games in and the European campaign approaching its business end, players across the league are hitting their stride at exactly the right moment.
Up front, the talent pool looks genuinely exciting. Ricardo Pepi is widely tipped for a summer move to Fulham, while Haji Wright should be a Premier League striker next season if Frank Lampard can guide Coventry City over the promotion line.
Further back, though, things feel far less secure. Tim Ream isn’t getting any younger at the heart of defense, and Matt Turner’s spells with Arsenal and Nottingham Forest have underlined that there’s an error in him when the pressure is at its highest.
That’s why the upcoming run of fixtures against Belgium and Nations League holders Portugal in March, then African champions Senegal and 2014 World Cup winners Germany in the final set of pre-tournament friendlies become such a crucial litmus test.
The US will be underdogs in all four matches, and online sports betting markets reflect that reality with the Americans priced generously against European powerhouses and the AFCON winners.
Pochettino’s club tenure at Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain suggests he’ll keep experimenting as he learns the final ins and outs of the international game, keeping a genuine window alive for fringe players to force their way into the conversation.
Outside of the USMNT, MLS is stacked with international talent also fighting for their own senior caps in a make-or-break summer. But with the clock ticking down and roster spots still up for grabs, players have a tiny window to make their case.
Here are the MLS stars who deserve a first senior international call-up and could yet play their way into their national team plans.
Ryan Hollingshead
Ryan Hollingshead has banked a decade in MLS without earning a senior USMNT cap, his versatility as a left back or center half has been consistently overlooked amid fierce competition for places.
Tim Ream and Chris Richards hold firm ahead of him in the pecking order, while the defensive prospect pool continues to shift as players like Nathaniel Phillips eye Germany and Anrie Chase commits to Japan.
With hundreds of MLS appearances under his belt, including LAFC’s Supporters’ Shield triumphs and championship runs, Hollingshead’s experience in high-pressure games screams reliability.
Surely a defender who partnered Italian great Giorgio Chiellini has enough experience to come on and see games out?
Cavan Sullivan
Cavan Sullivan is too young for the 2026 World Cup at just 16 years old, but his supernova rise marks him as America’s most hyped teenager since Freddy Adu burst onto the scene two decades ago.
Sullivan made MLS history in July 2024 when he made his professional debut at 14 years and 260 days, eclipsing Adu’s record by 13 days and announcing himself as a generational prospect.
Now dazzling for Philadelphia Union with pinpoint passing range and mature positional awareness beyond his years, Sullivan has already shown he belongs on the same field as seasoned professionals.
He’s not realistically on the 2026 roster radar yet, given his age and the limited number of spots available, but Sullivan is a lock for the 2030 World Cup cycle if he sustains this trajectory.
Evander
Evander has brought Brazilian flair to MLS as one of the league’s elite creators, his vision and long-range shooting driving attacking play wherever he lands.
The midfielder represented Brazil at the U17 level and broke through at Vasco da Gama before a disappointing loan spell at Midtjylland temporarily stalled his European ambitions.
Since arriving in MLS, he’s rediscovered his best form with consistent double-digit goals and assists that showcase his technical quality.
Brazil’s midfield is overflowing with talent right now, with players like Matheus Cunha and Bruno Guimaraes firmly ahead in the pecking order under Carlo Ancelotti’s management.
But international football moves quickly, and an injury crisis or a particularly dominant stretch of form could flip the script for a shock senior call-up.
Hany Mukhta
Hany Mukhtar’s technical craft has illuminated Nashville with 84 MLS goals and counting, his free kick wizardry and clutch finishing defining the club’s most successful era.
The German forward has been a model of consistency in MLS, dragging Nashville to the playoffs year after year with performances that blend European technique with the physicality required to succeed in North America. Yet Die Mannschaft’s attacking depth makes a senior call-up extremely difficult.
Pascal Gross’s late-career renaissance and Julian Nagelsmann’s clear preference for Bundesliga-based youth leave little room for an MLS-based player, regardless of how well he’s performing.
That said, Mukhtar deserves consideration for Germany’s pre-tournament friendlies in North America as someone who could provide a unique perspective on playing conditions and opposition.
While a competitive match call-up seems unlikely, Mukhtar has certainly earned the right to be in the conversation when Germany tours his home from home ahead of the World Cup.
Final Thoughts
The path to a first senior international cap is never straightforward, especially for players based in MLS competing against Europe-based talent for limited roster spots. But the 2026 World Cup’s North American setting creates a unique opportunity for coaches to experiment with domestically based players who understand the conditions and environment better than anyone.
As these players continue to shine in MLS, their performances make it increasingly difficult for national team coaches to ignore the quality on display in America’s top flight. The coming months will determine who seizes their moment and who watches the World Cup from home.
