USA Stock Watch: Johnny Cardoso Helps World Cup Case, Weston McKennie Keeps Scoring
#USMNT#World Cup#Johnny Cardoso#Weston McKennie#Mauricio Pochettino#Roster selection#Champions League
📌 Key Takeaways
Johnny Cardoso scored his first goal for Atlético Madrid, boosting his World Cup chances
Weston McKennie continued his scoring form while playing different positions for Juventus
Several USMNT players are improving their stock with strong club performances
Players like Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah face challenges to their selection chances
📖 Full Retelling
As the U.S. men's national team approaches its crucial World Cup tune-ups against Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta next month, American players Johnny Cardoso and Weston McKennie are making strong cases for selection with impressive club performances in Europe, where their form could determine their chances of being included in coach Mauricio Pochettino's 26-player roster for the main tournament this June and July. The competition for roster spots intensifies with just weeks remaining before the final squad is named, creating high stakes for players looking to impress during their remaining club matches. Johnny Cardoso, who has mostly been sidelined by injuries since Atlético Madrid acquired him for approximately $35 million last summer, scored his first goal for the club in a timely fashion, finding the net against Belgium's Club Brugge in a Champions League match that secured a crucial victory. Meanwhile, Weston McKennie continues to deliver for Juventus despite the team's elimination from the Champions League, showcasing his versatility by playing different positions while still finding the back of the net. Other players boosting their World Cup stock include forward Haji Wright, whose match-winning hat-trick has propelled Coventry City to the top of England's Championship division, and Ricardo Pepi, who returned from injury with a goal just 12 minutes after coming on, maintaining his impressive scoring rate. Tyler Adams also made a positive return from injury with a solid performance for Bournemouth, giving the 2022 World Cup captain valuable match fitness as the tournament approaches.
🏷️ Themes
World Cup roster competition, Club performances affecting national team chances, Player form and fitness
International sports competition where competitors represent their nation
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is the FIFA World Cup for association football, which dates back...
Weston James Earl McKennie (born August 28, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays primarily as a midfielder for Serie A club Juventus and the United States national team. A highly versatile player, he has been described as a "Swiss Army knife" and is routinely deployed in any o...
The United States men's national soccer team, simply known as USMNT and officially recognized as USA by FIFA, represents the United States in men's international soccer, which is governed by the United States Soccer Federation founded in 1913. It has been an affiliate member of FIFA since 1914 and a...
Mauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero (born 2 March 1972) is an Argentine professional football manager and former player who is the current head coach of the United States men's national team.
Pochettino played as a centre-back and began his career in 1989 with Primera División club Newell's Old Boy...
João Lucas de Souza Cardoso (born September 20, 2001), better known as Johnny Cardoso or Johnny, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and the United States national team.
- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on FIFA Men's World Cup FIFA Men's World Cup USA Stock Watch: Johnny Cardoso Helps World Cup Case, Weston McKennie Keeps Scoring Updated Feb. 26, 2026 7:29 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Doug McIntyre Soccer Journalist There’s now less than a month to go before U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino names the Americans’ 26-player roster for next month’s World Cup tuneups against Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta. Just a few more club games remaining for those hopefuls who are hoping to impress enough to make the squad — and maybe even stick around for the main event this June and July. The stakes are getting higher. The competition is getting fiercer. Here’s who’s trending up and down this week. Stock Up Johnny Cardoso, Midfielder, Atlético Madrid Mostly sidelined by injuries since one of global soccer’s biggest brands dropped around $35 million to lure him from La Liga rivals Real Betis last summer, Cardoso picked a great time to score his first goal for Atl é ti. The New Jersey-born, Brazil-raised 24-year-old’s beautiful strike versus Belgium's Club Brugge on Wednesday stood up as the game winner as Madrid’s other juggernaut advanced to face either Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. The draw is on Friday. Haji Wright, Forward, Coventry City Wright’s match-winning hat trick versus Middlesbrough on Feb. 16 has boosted the Sky Blues, who have now claimed victory in three straight matches and opened up a five-point lead over ‘Boro at the top of England’s second-tier Championship division. The 27-year-old from Los Angeles was also on target on Wednesday, notching Coventry’s equalizer in a 2-1 comeback over Sheffield United . Ricardo Pepi, Forward, PSV When Pepi plays, Pepi scores. Six weeks after breaking his arm while — what else? — scoring a goal for the Dutch champions, the El Paso, Texas product returned to action against Hee...
