10 USMNT players who shouldn't be forgotten during 2030 World Cup cycle

The return of the USMNT following the 2026 World Cup is fast approaching. Mauricio Pochettino’s team is set to face Peru on September 26 in the first of four games during the upcoming international window. Those four games will be the start of the 2030 World Cup cycle, officially turning the page from the last World Cup. While a big chunk of the roster from this summer will continue to be part of the USMNT, it’s a fresh slate for the players who weren’t. Here are 10 players who weren’t on the 2026 World Cup roster but who shouldn’t be forgotten as the 2030 cycle gets underway.

Diego Luna

Luna was understandably upset when he didn’t make the World Cup roster. After his performance the previous summer during the Gold Cup, he looked like a safe bet. But subpar performances during the MLS season doomed his hopes. The good news is he’s barely 23 and is the type of player Pochettino loves. If he can get beyond the disappointment of not being at the last World Cup, Luna is bound to get more opportunities with the USMNT, assuming his performances at club level warrant it.

Johnny Cardoso

Unfortunately, an injury kept Cardoso off the 2026 World Cup roster. Luckily, his window to play in a World Cup is far from closed. He’ll turn 25 during the upcoming international window, so his best soccer could still be ahead of him. Cardoso competes at a high level with Atletico Madrid and also boasts Champions League experience. When healthy, there’s an argument to be made that Cardoso ranks ahead of Tyler Adams as the USMNT’s best holding midfielder. As long as he’s healthy, Cardoso will be a big part of the equation over the next four years.

Patrick Agyemang

Agyemang is another player who suffered an ill-timed injury right before the World Cup. It’s unclear if he would have beaten out Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright for roster spots, but he would have had a chance. But it’s clear Agyemang is a player who Pochettino likes. He won’t be part of the USMNT for a while after his Achilles injury. But once he returns to full health, he’ll join a list of American strikers to watch closely.

Yunus Musah

Musah only has himself to blame for missing the 2026 World Cup. He chose to sit out the 2025 Gold Cup and then struggled for consistent playing time on loan with Atalanta last season. But a fresh slate is exactly what the doctor ordered for Musah. He won’t turn 24 until November, yet he has 24 caps under his belt, including games at the 2022 World Cup. Musah is also getting a fresh start at AC Milan with a new manager there. If he can get regular playing time in Serie A and showcase himself for Pochettino, Musah is too talented not to get another chance with the USMNT at some point.

George Campbell

It’s been somewhat surprising to see Campbell not be more of a factor for the USMNT. But he quietly had a solid campaign for West Brom in the English Championship last season, his first in Europe. He was named team captain at the start of this season, which is a good indicator of how far he’s come in a short time. Still only 25, he probably deserves a look from Pochettino at some point, especially since the U.S. has so few answers at center back outside of Chris Richards.

Tanner Tessman

Tessman was one of the biggest snubs on the World Cup roster, leaving the USMNT a little shorthanded behind Tyler Adams. Hopefully, that snub doesn’t come to define Tessman. He’s a versatile and defensive-minded player with experience in both Serie A and Ligue 1, not to mention European competitions. Plus, Tessman will only be 25 at the time of the September international window, so he’s the perfect age to hit his prime soon and be a factor for the USMNT during the next four years.

Bryan Reynolds

The right-back position will be a tough spot to crack with Sergiño Dest and Alex Freeman already in the mix. But Reynolds could provide further depth at that position and find a role over the next four years. He’s been in Europe since 2021, moving to French side Rennes over the summer. At 25, he’s another player heading into his prime, and while he only has seven international caps, Reynolds has the pedigree of a player who will be a solid right back if called upon at some point.

Aidan Morris

Morris was in the same boat as Tessman when he was left off the World Cup squad. He could have provided another defensive-minded midfielder with a high work rate. It’s hard to have enough of those players, which is why Morris still has a chance to find a role with the U.S. during the next cycle. He’s become a mainstay at Middlesbrough over the last couple of years, playing a key part in the club almost earning Premier League promotion last season. Despite falling a little short of the World Cup roster, Morris still provides reliable depth at the holding midfield spot and should find his way back into the USMNT squad at some point.

Gianluca Busio

Despite making the move to Italy in 2021, Busio has often been overlooked. It doesn’t help that Venezia continues to bounce between Serie A and Serie B. Nevertheless, he’s made 17 USMNT appearances and always seems to show his high work rate in midfield. Busio’s biggest problem is that the likes of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Malik Tillman are usually patrolling the U.S. midfield. But he’s another young player, just 24, who still has a chance to get better and work his way into the USMNT squad, even if it’s as a complementary player.

Jack McGlynn

McGlynn is another player who was on the cusp of the World Cup roster and will have a chance to improve his national team standing over the next four years. He has two career goals in just 13 USMNT appearances, so he’s shown that he can compete at the international level. McGlynn adds quality on set pieces, and as a left-footed player, he brings something to the table that the USMNT lacks. If his move to Stoke City goes well, McGlynn will at least stay on the USMNT radar in the years to come.

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