USMNT World Cup Roster Watch: Tyler Adams Returns as Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi Stay Hot

Reality, however, has other ideas.

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And for six weeks until he announces his 26 selections, Pochettino will see players return from and succumb to injuries.

This weekend there was movement in both directions, much of it positive.

Midfielder tyler adams He appeared in a Premier League match for the first time since injuring his quadriceps on March 3. Coming on in the 70th minute, he played a major role in the high press that forced a breakaway and sparked Bournemouth’s tie-breaking goal for a 2-1 stunner at leaders Arsenal. The Cherries are unbeaten in 12 games.

The 2022 World Cup captain is almost certainly an American starter when available, something he hasn’t been since September due to injuries and the birth of a child. He has six games left to regain his rhythm… and avoid another setback.

Sidelined since injuring his leg in the United States camp two weeks ago, the midfielder Johnny Cardoso He has resumed training with Atlético Madrid and could be ready for the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday against Barcelona or the Copa del Rey final on Saturday against Real Sociedad.

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Back Sergiño DestAn American starter when healthy, he is on track to return to PSV Eindhoven this season after injuring a hamstring on March 8. The Dutch Eredivisie champions have four games left.

“From what I’ve heard from him personally and from the medical staff, everything is going very well and he will probably get some minutes this season,” coach Peter Bosz said. “So I’m very happy about that.”

In the fight for third place in American goalkeeping, the Cincinnati team Roman Celentan He returned from an injury that forced him to withdraw from the national team camp.

With the good comes the bad. Less than a week after the preview Patricio Agyemang He was ruled out of the World Cup squad due to an Achilles tendon injury, left back. John Tolkin He suffered a possible ACL injury on Friday with second-division side Holstein Kiel.

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Behind Antonio Robinson and Max Arfsten In the U.S. pecking order, Tolkin was not invited to the recent camp and was a long shot for the World Cup team.

However, his absence undermines Pochettino’s group, as do the Celtic centre-back’s long-term injuries. Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles tendon) and defensive midfielder for St. Pauli James Arenas (ankle).

Miles RobinsonA regular in a short corps of center backs, he hasn’t played for Cincinnati since a groin strain in U.S. camp last month kept him out of both friendlies.

As for those who will be in action this weekend…

France

Striker Folarin Balogun remains in fabulous form, scoring in the 36th minute of Monaco’s 4-1 loss to Paris FC – his sixth consecutive game with a goal and eighth in the last nine games to take his Ligue 1 tally to 11 and his total to 17 in 38 games.

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It was a much worse weekend for the center Mark McKenziewhose 48th-minute red card for bringing down a free-running opponent helped turn a one-goal deficit into Toulouse’s 4-0 lead against Lille.

Tim Weah Starting at right-back, he went all the way in a 3-1 victory over bottom-place Metz, leaving Olympique Marseille one point away from the third and final automatic Champions League spot next season.

Midfielder Tanner Tessmann He came on in the 82nd minute of fifth-placed Lyon’s 2-0 victory over Lorient.

Italy

Despite creating opportunities for himself and his teammates (and earning AC Milan’s best analytical score), Christian Pulisic He remained scoreless in 16 appearances for club and country in 2026, going 72 minutes without a goal in a 3-0 loss to Udinese.

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Midfielder-defender-forward Weston McKennie He served a yellow card suspension during Juventus’ 1-0 win at Atalanta, which left the midfielder yunus musah on the bench for the third time in four games.

England

Three days after the center Chris Richards and Crystal Palace began the UEFA Conference League quarterfinals with a convincing victory over Fiorentina, the Eagles scoring twice late to defeat Newcastle, 2-1, for their third straight win and improve to 6-1-3 in 10 matches in all competitions.

Antonee Robinson played 69 minutes in Fulham’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool, his fourth consecutive Premier League start.

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Only three points from the relegation zone, midfielder Brendan Aaronson and Leeds visits Manchester United on Monday.

In the Second Division Championship, ahead Haji Wright They went goalless for the fourth game in a row and first-place Coventry City settled for a 0-0 home draw with last-place Sheffield Wednesday. However, Wright is enjoying a good season with 16 league goals (17 in total) and Coventry are on course for promotion to the Premier League after a 25-year wait.

In the 1-0 defeat against Portsmouth, the central midfielder Aidan Morris He played 90 minutes for Middlesbrough, who have not won in six games and, after flirting with first place, are now looking to the promotion playoff.

Germany

While returning Joe Scally He played 90 minutes for Mönchengladbach in a 1-0 loss to RB Leipzig. gio reyna I didn’t play. Of the nine Bundesliga games in which he has been in uniform in 2026, the midfielder played three games for a total of 34 minutes.

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Midfielder Malik Tillman He came on in the 90th minute of Bayer Leverkusen’s 1-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund, leaving him with five minutes played in two games since returning from duty in the United States.

Noahkai BanksThe dual-national centre-back, weighing the chances of the United States and Germany, remained on the bench for the third time in four games in Augsburg’s draw with Hoffenheim, 2-2.

Spain

Back Alex Freeman continues to struggle for playing time at third-place Villarreal and sat out the 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. The former Orlando City standout has played 58 minutes in five games since arriving in late January.

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Netherlands

In his twelfth league start, the PSV Eindhoven striker ricardo pepi He scored his 11th Eredivisie goal, in first-half stoppage time, as part of an 83-minute effort during the Eredivisie champions’ 2–0 victory at Sparta Rotterdam. The Texan has also scored three goals in the Champions League.