When the USMNT plays in a World Cup, there are always some locks, and always some players who come out of nowhere to start games.

Mauricio Pochettino was missing some star names from the United States' friendly wins, but they were back to their best for their clubs

The U.S. men’s national team could be at risk of losing a potential contributor as Richy Ledezma looks to switch his allegiances to Mexico ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

It's a statement victory for the USMNT as they stretched their unbeaten run to five games to end 2025. They've hit their stride under Mauricio Pochettino, and no matter who is in the lineup, an identity is forming. Let's take a look at the goals:

LeBron James was quite the football player in high school ... but how about football?? USMNT player Diego Luna tells TMZ Sports he woulda been a BEAST on the pitch in his prime!!

The win sees NYCFC head to the Eastern Conference final for the third time in five seasons, where they will clash with Inter Miami and a red-hot Lionel Messi, who has six goals and as many assists in a record-breaking MLS Cup playoffs so far.

With each passing day, new layers of seriousness take shape in the USMNT's environment, the looming deadline of their World Cup opener quickly approaching. The tone shift may seem natural and to some degree, it is, but Pochettino suggested that a lot of behind-the-scenes work went into creating an ideal working environment.