World Cup 2026 preview: Christian Pulisic pulling the strings for the US

UNITED STATES

Last World Cup: Last 16

FIFA ranking: 16th

Record in qualifying: Qualified as co-host

Best result: Third (1930)

Mauricio Pochettino was hired in 2024 for the World Cup gig, and has brought about a more tight-knit vibe, higher intensity and tactical flexibility, switching between his preferred back three and an experimental 4-2-3-1.

Monaco striker Folarin Balogun has been hailed as a natural No. 9, and he has decent support in Haji Wright, who has been instrumental in Coventry City’s English Championship-winning run, and talisman Christian Pulisic.

Tyler Adams could make a timely return from a hamstring injury to strengthen the midfield, but the defence appears a worry as The Yanks’ six clean sheets in 25 games under Pochettino have come against only Concacaf and Asian opponents.

They have played against their Group D rivals recently, losing to Turkey 2-1 but also beating Australia and Paraguay 2-1. However, losses in 2026 to Belgium and Portugal indicate they are still far from World Cup contenders.

PARAGUAY

Last World Cup: Did not qualify

FIFA ranking: 40th

Record in qualifying: 7 wins, 4 losses, 7 draws

Best result: Quarter-finals (2010)

The South Americans may look like they scraped through Conmebol qualifying in sixth place after a 16-year absence, but they were comfortably in the six automatic spots, eight points clear of seventh-placed Bolivia, and level on points with Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil, trailing only by goal difference.

Therein lies their biggest strength and weakness – they conceded just 10 goals in 18 qualifiers but also scored only 14.

A miserly defence was also key to their quarter-final finish in 2010, but versatile playmaker Diego Gomez could significantly influence how far Paraguay advance this time around. The 23-year-old played alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in 2023 and 2024, but has truly come of age in England with Brighton & Hove Albion.

AUSTRALIA

Last World Cup: Last 16

FIFA ranking: 27th

Record in qualifying: 11 wins, 1 loss, 4 draws

Best result: Last 16 (2006, 2022)

For the first time in their seven World Cup appearances, the Socceroos will be in a group without a former winner, but they will do well to keep their underdog mentality that served them well in previous editions.

After opening the third round of their World Cup qualifiers with a 1-0 home loss to Bahrain and a 0-0 draw with Indonesia, the Socceroos steadied the ship under Tony Popovic.

They went on a morale-boosting 11-match unbeaten run, which included wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia, before crashing back down to earth with losses against the US, Venezuela and Colombia.

But with Leicester City centre-back Harry Souttar back after a 15-month injury nightmare following a ruptured Achilles, to partner Alessandro Circati and Cameron Burgess, they may be able to squeeze into the knockout round.

TURKEY

Last World Cup: Did not qualify

Best result: Third (2002)

FIFA ranking: 22nd

Record in qualifying: 6 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw

Instead of launching them to greater heights, their third-placed finish in 2002 was followed by a 24-year World Cup absence. Since 2023, Vincenzo Montella has managed to blend Italian tactical organisation with natural Turkish flair.

Yet again, the Turkish conveyor belt of talent has conjured the likes of Real Madrid playmaker Arda Guler and Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz.

But as previous World Cups and European Championships have proven, their unpredictability can be a double-edged sword as they either make at least the last eight or crash out in the group stage.

PLAYER TO WATCH: CHRISTIAN PULISIC (USA, 85 CAPS, 33 GOALS, 22 ASSISTS)

Captain America is in trouble, and he needs to be brave to contend with this new world where his powers seem to be failing him.

For so long a quiet leader who led by example, Christian Pulisic has not been at his best. His strengths – a good first touch, ability to run past defenders and score crucial goals for club and country – seem to have deserted him for much of the year.

The 27-year-old forward did not score for AC Milan in 2026 and just ended an eight-game goal drought for the US in a 3-2 friendly win over Senegal on May 31.

While Pulisic insisted that he has been playing well, the goal will no doubt silence critics and relieve the pressure on him as the US head into the tournament.

Born in Pennsylvania to parents who played collegiate football, Pulisic played youth football in England and the US. Before his 16th birthday, he moved to Germany with a European passport thanks to his Croatian grandfather, and made his breakthrough at Dortmund, whom he signed for at 17.

While he has never lifted a league title, he has won a series of Cups, including the 2021 Champions League and Club World Cup with Chelsea, who made him the most expensive American player at €64 million (S$96 million).

Pulisic also made waves in international football, where his rise was no less meteoric as he earned his superhero tag.

Declining to play for Croatia, he made his international debut at 17 under Jurgen Klinsmann in 2016.

After suffering the embarrassment of missing out on the 2018 World Cup, he scored five times in the qualifiers to drag the US to the 2022 edition, where he chalked up two man-of-the-match awards in the group stage to send his team into the last 16, where they lost 3-1 to the Netherlands. He ended the tournament with one goal and two assists.

Hence, even though his struggles have been compounded by a high-profile break-up with golfer Alexa Melton, one would do well not to write Pulisic off.