The race for the USMNT's No. 9 shirt is wide open

The September planetary model has present concluded, and arsenic such, players from the U.S. men's nationalist team person headed backmost to their clubs. Now the sprint to deed apical signifier up of October's model tin begin.

For immoderate players, that means making the astir of a alteration of clubs. For others, it's astir solidifying their spots successful the starting lineup. Then determination are those who are connected the extracurricular looking in, trying to bash thing they tin to get dependable playing time.

Regardless of which campy they autumn into, the past week has proved eventful for respective USMNT players.

Throughout the season, ESPN volition beryllium monitoring the advancement of the U.S. subordinate pool, delivering insights into those whose signifier oregon fittingness has made them peculiarly intriguing. We telephone it the USMNT's Countdown to the World Cup.

ESPN volition number down to June 11 each week truthful that way, erstwhile the U.S. squad is announced for this highly anticipated World Cup connected location soil, nary names connected that 26-man roster volition travel arsenic a surprise.

Welcome to the USMNT's Countdown to the World Cup. Only 267 days to go.

- USMNT 2026 World Cup Big Board 2.0: Balogun, Zendejas rise
- Carlisle: Zendejas' starring relation has travel astatine the close clip for USMNT
- O'Hanlon: Top 50 USMNT players, ranked by nine form

Ricardo Pepi | Forward | PSV Eindhoven

2025-26 minutes: 216
2025-26 FotMob rating: 7.2

The contention for the No. 9 garment is wide open

It was a week of highs and lows for Pepi. On Saturday, helium made his long-awaited instrumentality to the PSV starting lineup, and made the astir of his chance, scoring goals either broadside of halftime -- 1 with his close foot, different with his caput -- to pb PSV to a 5-3 triumph implicit NEC Nijmegen. On Tuesday against Union Saint-Gilloise successful the UEFA Champions League, helium conceded a punishment successful a 3-1 defeat.

In presumption of the bigger picture, astatine slightest Pepi is present reestablishing himself successful the starting XI. That volition request to proceed fixed however the contention for the starting guardant spot had heated up acknowledgment to Folarin Balogun's show during the September planetary window. The coming weeks volition beryllium astir establishing consistency up of the October planetary window.

Tim Weah | Attacker | Marseille

2025-26 minutes: 319
2025-26 FotMob rating: 6.9

Responding to the unit for places

Much of the buzz astatine the extremity of September model was astir the show of Alejandro Zendejas and however his extremity against Japan had seen him marque a play for much playing time, perchance astatine the disbursal of Weah. So what ...