The Rondo: Assessing USMNT players in UCL and at club level, and implications of injuries to Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson

Tom Hindle: Hard to pick out anyone, really. It hasn't been the strongest campaign for the U.S. Perhaps Tim Weah, even if only because of that Madrid goal.

Ryan Tolmich: It's still a little early in the competition to make any sweeping proclamations , but yeah, it's clearly Weah's goal against Real Madrid. It's one of those moments that, just a few years ago, would have been impossible, but now seems almost commonplace. It's still very, very cool to see Americans competing with the world's biggest clubs and, in Weah's case, not just competing but making an impact - even if it came in a defeat.

Alex Labidou: Weah’s goal at the Santiago Berbebanu still has to be the top. Yes, his stats haven’t jumped off the page since then, but he still became the first American to score against Real Madrid in their legendary building, so he gets the nod. In terms of games, PSV’s 6-2 win over Napoli this week has to be the biggest UCL upset of the season so far. And Ricardo Pepi scored and assisted in that one, albeit in a limited outing with the game already decided. Still impressive, though.

TH: There's been a fair few, as Mauricio Pochettino's MLS-laden squads have shown. Perhaps the standout, though, is Cristian Roldan, who has been wonderful for Seattle Sounders all season - and might just have played himself into the USMNT roster next summer. 

RT: Depends on your definition of impressive, but Alex Freeman needs to be right up there. A year ago, he was a prospect in the Orlando City system. And now he's a potential World Cup inclusion who has established himself as one of the most dangerous weapons in MLS. He's just getting started, too, with Freeman set to attack defenses for as long as he's in the league.

AL: Injuries have slowed him down, but Brian White’s first half of the season was spectacular. He, along with Sebastian Berhalter, is a big reason why Vancouver finished second in the West. For perspective: White scored 14 goals before July, and 10 more in April. His previous season-high was 15. A recurring hamstring injury has limited him in the second half of the season, and he was only able to play in 21 league games this year. But if he had played in at least 30 games, he might have reached the 25-goal mark (he finished with 16).

TH: Freeman. He's been excellent, and deserves the spot he will likely get in the U.S. side.

RT: Berhalter. Just a few years ago, he thought about getting out of the game altogether. But after breaking through with Vancouver this season, he looks like a player that has a long career ahead. The son of former USMNT boss Gregg, Berhalter is tenacious and, in truth, a pretty damn good soccer player. He's a key reason the Whitecaps have been so good this season, and he's a player that many overlooked right up until they couldn't anymore.

AL: Haji Wright has to be the choice. He’s shown glimpses, but he has never been able to put it all together like he has this season. Wright has the perfect physical tools for a striker - good speed and height - but he hasn't always been as precise as this year. He leads the Championship in scoring, and more importantly for U.S. fans, he brought that same form to the national team - scoring a brace against Australia.

TH: Cristian Roldan truthers, unite! Pochettino called him the "perfect" midfielder, which really tells you all you need to know. On the flip side, Aidan Morris didn't exactly set the world alight. It would be surprising if he gets another chance.  

RT: He didn't exactly dazzle, but Tessmann showed everything needed to be a USMNT midfielder. There are still some questions about who starts next to Tyler Adams in the center of the park, and Tessmann's performances did show that he might be the answer. Conversely, it was just disappointing to not see Cameron Carter-Vickers play, considering the race at centerback. And with the unfortunate news Friday that he will be sidelined for several months with an Achilles injury, that opportunity for 2026 could be over.

AL: Wright is the easy answer, so let’s highlight another breakout player: Tessmann. The defensive midfielder has, at times, seemed an awkward fit under Pochettino, but the manager’s switch to a 3-4-2-1 formation has seemingly got the best out of the Lyon star. Tessmann’s stats won’t jump off the page, but he was key in stopping attacks and helping the U.S. build on counterattacks. As for disappointments, Morris wasn’t horrible, but he had some shaky moments against Ecuador. It's hard to see him overtaking others when this squad is fully healthy. And Carter-Vickers appeared to be falling out the race at centerback before the injury, so a very tough blow for the Celtic star.

TH: It's time for Pochettino to drop the nonsense about experimentation. The USMNT need to start winning, and it will be very hard to beat two very good teams - Paraguay and Uruguay - next month without two very good players. Sure, the system looks a little better, but it's tough to survive without two of your top five players, whoever you are.

RT: Not particularly concerning in the long-term, but in terms of optics? Yes. The November camp is a real chance to make a statement, particularly against Uruguay. A win in that game would be the biggest message yet that the USMNT are making progress, as Uruguay - No. 15 in the FIFA world rankings, one spot ahead of the USMNT - is one of the better teams in global soccer. The best way to beat good teams? Start your best players. If the USMNT are missing Pulisic, Robinson and others, winning that game becomes less likely.

AL: Less concerning is Pulisic’s potential absence, even if he is the USMNT's best player. He’s a known commodity under Pochettino. Robinson is troubling, however, just because there is not much known about his timeline for recovery. He hasn’t featured much for Pochettino since his arrival last year, and he’s barely played at all for Fulham this season. While the U.S. have shown strength in numbers when it comes to their wing backs, Robinson was the USMNT player of the year in 2024. A healthy Robinson would surely make this team, and Fulham, better.