'The World Cup is in my mind' - USMNT's Yunus Musah eyes Atalanta success to boost 2026 chances under Mauricio Pochettino

Musah recently acknowledged that delivering strong performances for Atalanta would enhance his chances of making the 2026 World Cup squad. 

“So the way the World Cup is in my mind is that knowing that if I have good performances here, have a good season here, it will boost my chances to go to the national team and play in the World Cup,” Musah told CBS Sports Golazo America. “So that’s how I think about it. If I do well here, focus on doing well here, then I’ll have a better chance to be in the team in the World Cup. So that’s how I’m thinking about it.”

Musah has made four appearances for Atalanta so far, but has largely been in a limited role for La Dea - playing just 31 minutes so far. 

The midfielder acknowledged it was a challenging summer due to transfer rumors while he was at Milan. Despite that, he focused on training and improving his game. 

“Yeah, as you said it was a summer that was a bit of uncertainty,” Musah explained. “And yeah, I just put my head down, worked hard at Milan and got the trust of the manager and everyone, and then this great opportunity came for me to come to Atalanta. And I joined this great team and to keep playing in the Champions League, and try and get top four in the league and everything.

“So its been very nice, been settling in. I’ve been training a lot with the team and getting to know the guys. So yeah, I can’t wait for the rest of the season really.” 

 Musah expressed his desire to become the most complete midfielder possible. He explained that versatility is essential for adapting to different tactical setups.

“I’m just trying to develop as a all-round midfielder, to be the most complete midfielder I can be,” Musah said. “So, you’re going to need to play in different formations, etc, etc. But if you’re a complete midfielder, you’ll be able to adapt in any formation I think. So, that’s my goal, to really develop in that aspect and really learn from our coach here and in the national team.”

The midfielder will hope for more minutes when Atalanta face Club Brugge in the Champions League on Sept. 29 followed by a home game against FC Como on Oct. 4.