World Cup Watch: Is This The USA’s Best Starting Lineup?

The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, and we’re just months away from seeing the world’s biggest sporting event hit the shores of North America. The U.S. men’s national team take on Paraguay in its opener on June 12 in Los Angeles, so that leaves plenty of time to talk about who will be in the starting XI for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. We all have our thoughts, but let’s turn to FOX Sports soccer analyst Stu Holden on how he thinks the USA could line up for the World Cup: Matt Freese has solidified his spot as the starting goalkeeper since last summer after a stellar showing at the 2025 Gold Cup. The NYCFC keeper looks to be the favorite for Pochettino and has the inside track over 2022 World Cup starter Matt Turner or other veteran options. But what about the defensive backline? That’s where things get interesting amid debate about whether the team is better suited with three defenders or a more traditional four-man look. Holden predicts a three-man lineup with Alex Freeman (newly signed to Spanish side Villarreal), Crystal Palace center-back Chris Richards, and 38-year-old Tim Ream. “If you look at my back three, the thing I love about this lineup is it has a lot of flexibility. We’ve seen Pochettino play with four in the back, three in the back. He likes to build out with four. … But don’t get lost in the semantics of how the formation looks because that changes in and out of possession,” Holden said. Flanking those three as wing-backs are Antonee “Jedi” Robinson and Tim Weah. It’s been encouraging for USA supporters to see Jedi return to Fulham amid a knee injury that kept him out for most of the season. Opposite to him is Weah, whose versatility may give him the inside edge over Sergiño Dest at the moment. “Antonee Robinson is back and healthy, so great to see. I’m going to have him in the left wing-back position,” Holden said. “And then on the other side is Tim Weah, who’s been playing really well for Marseille. I like that he can get up, get back defensively. But also, with his speed, he’s a threat for opponents.” Who does Pochettino lean on in the midfield? That will depend on if Tyler Adams, who has been out of action for his club Bournemouth due to an MCL injury, can get back into the mix. If so, Holden has him paired up with Lyon’s Tanner Tessmann, a surprising choice over all-everything midfielder Weston McKennie. “[Midfield] is where it gets a little bit iffy. Tyler Adams, if we get him back and healthy, I love him in the middle of the field. But next to Tanner Tessmann – I love his size, his passing from that position. And maybe I thought about putting McKennie there, but if you’ve watched McKennie recently, man, the guy’s playing like a striker, scoring goals, assisting.” That means Holden has McKennie, who has been in incredible form for Juventus, further up in the attack alongside scoring threats Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun. “I love that little triangle the three of them can form. But also I’ve seen with McKennie, a little bit of flexibility, a little bit of freedom. You’re starting to see the best of him and man, the guy can score some goals and make some stuff happen.” Pulisic has battled some lingering injuries with AC Milan of late, but he’ll be a surefire starter in the summer for the USA. Balogun, now in his second full season at Monaco, will have some stiff competition from PSV’s Ricardo Pepi, currently nursing a broken arm and was on the verge of a move to Fulham. And don’t sleep on a pair of English Championship strikers in Patrick Agyemang (Derby County) and Haji Wright (Conventry City) who have been on fire lately. “Balogun is still up front. And then Christian Pulisic, I like him being on the left, cutting inside, can also get in and out,” Holden said. “This formation, for me, is a team that I would feel really confident about rolling out game one against Paraguay and getting the win.”