USMNT
USMNT stars continue to shine in Europe
Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Paxten Aaronson and Folarin Balogun have been busy adding goals to aid their teams’ victory.
Several players from the United States men’s national team are thriving individually in Europe, which bodes well for the Stars and Stripes as they anticipate Mauricio Pochettino’s debut on the bench. American players continue to find the back of the net, sharpening their skills to make the national team’s attack even more dangerous.
Captain America stars in stripes
Christian Pulisic, currently the top representative of American soccer, is maintaining a scoring streak that solidifies his importance for AC Milan. The 26-year-old winger has scored in five consecutive matches across Serie A, the Champions League, and for the USMNT. Most recently, Pulisic netted his team’s second goal in the red and blacks’ 3-0 victory over Lecce in Serie A’s matchday six. His form has been a key factor in Milan’s strong start to the season.
Pepi, Balogun and Aaronson
As well as Captain America, Ricardo Pepi has proven to be a reliable asset for PSV Eindhoven. This weekend, he was in the starting lineup and responded with a brace in PSV’s 7th-round Bundesliga match against Willem II, bringing his goal tally to three for the season.
Another standout performer was Folarin Balogun, who contributed a goal in AS Monaco’s 2-1 victory over Montpellier, helping the team celebrate their centenary with a win. The striker seems to have found his rhythm, scoring in two consecutive matches after a slow start in Ligue 1. With his second goal in two games, Monaco is tied at the top of the table with PSG, both teams having the same number of points.
Finally, Paxten Aaronson made a surprise impact, scoring the winning goal for Utrecht against AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie. The American came off the bench to break the 1-1 tie, netting his first goal since joining Utrecht this past summer.
Good news for Pochettino
With the strong performances of USMNT players, Pochettino has plenty to smile about. The coach finds his players in great individual form and has numerous options to project his playing philosophy, particularly in attack.
These forwards, who are starring for their respective clubs, now have the opportunity to confirm their prominence on the international stage with the Stars and Stripes. Their collective form gives Pochettino a solid foundation to build a dynamic and dangerous front line for upcoming matches. And the 2026 World Cup is never far from mind.