The Five Best USMNT World Cup Striker Options-Ranked
The 2026 World Cup roster is fast approaching. U.S. men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino already has his 55-man preliminary player list and will unveil the 26 players that make the final squad on Tuesday evening at an event in New York City.
Players who are in the preliminary squad but fall short of the 26 will begin to hear over the weekend, while Pochettino has previously stated that he won't do as much to contact those who miss the squad but are not on the 55-man preliminary roster.
When it comes to the forwards, things should be pretty clear.
Given the state of the roster, players' form, alongside injury concerns and positional importance, as well as the seemingly undecided formation of either a 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2, the potential striker pool should be quite small, with the few set to be selected likely being fairly knowledgeable about their fate at this point.
Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at the five striker options fighting to line up alongside AC Milan and USMNT superstar Christian Pulisic, who should be considered a lock despite not having scored in 2026 for club or country.
5. Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps)
It would take quite a shock for Brian White of the Vancouver Whitecaps to crack the roster. Yet, he's the most in-form USMNT-capped striker in MLS these days, with eight goals through 13 appearances this season. In 2025, he also scored 24 goals and added three assists, becoming Vancouver's all-time leading scorer and finishing as the highest-scoring U.S. player in the MLS Golden Boot race, while helping his side to the Concacaf Champions Cup and MLS Cup final.
A high-pressing forward with incredible finishing and hold-up play, White impressed in eight caps with the USMNT since his first call for the March 2025 Concacaf Nations League finals. However, he has been on the outside looking in, despite his form.
4. Julian Hall (Red Bull New York)
If White is the most in-form USMNT-capped striker in slight contention for the roster, Julian Hall stands as the most in-form USMNT-eligible player, having never been called up by the senior national team in the past. The 18-year-old, already in his fourth MLS season with Red Bull New York, has been the story of the season in MLS, scoring nine goals and adding two assists in 14 games under manager and former USMNT cornerstone midfielder, Michael Bradley.
Hall, who is also being actively courted by Poland and wears his mother's family name, "Zakrzewski," on the back of his jersey, has established himself as an intuitive and elusive off-ball runner and as a player who can finish difficult chances. With those skillsets, combined with his pace, he's a possible call-although bringing a young, uncapped forward with the weight of goalscoring for a host nation would be a bold call.
3. Haji Wright (Coventry City)
There's a major gap between White and Hall, and the top three striker choices, beginning with Haji Wright. The 28-year-old was integral to leading Coventry City back to the Premier League for the first time since 2000–01, with an English Championship-topping 95 points, buoyed by Wright's 17 goals in 40 league games.
Primarily playing as an outright striker, he also offers versatility as a potential wide player, often considered a key advantage when selecting a World Cup squad.
His return of seven goals in 20 USMNT appearances doesn't inspire much confidence, but his playing style and club form, as well as his regular call-ups under Pochettino and 2022 World Cup experience, should have him on the roster as the third option.
2. Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven)
Ricardo Pepi broke his arm midway through PSV Eindhoven's season, but he only missed nine games before returning to the pitch. Through it all, he kept scoring for fun, eventually netting a whopping 19 goals and two assists in a mere 1,706 minutes across all competitions.
While the former FC Dallas product missed out on the 2022 World Cup squad, he has put himself in a position that will keep him away from bad news this time around.
Already known as a pacey striker with strong hold-up play, quick dribbling in tight spaces and intelligent off-ball runs, Pepi has only improved through the 2025–26 season. At the same time, he knows the crossing tendencies of potential starting right back Sergiño Dest from their time as domestic teammates, making him a potentially lethal option this summer.
1. Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco)
No player is more of a lock for the 2026 World Cup USMNT squad than AS Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, who has played in all of the national team's previous eight matches, scoring three goals across that spell, including one against Group D opponents, Australia, in a 2–1 October win.
This season, Balogun has been one of the best young attackers in all of Europe. The 24-year-old has 19 goals and five assists in 43 games across Ligue 1, Coupe de France and the UEFA Champions League.
Known for his physical play and blistering pace up top, Balogun can play in several different setups, versatile enough to play alongside Pulisic or Pepi in a front two or as a solo striker. At the same time, his defensive work rate stands out, in particular in Pochettino's system, which demands backtracking from attackers.
He's the top option for the USMNT, offering a clear top striker option unlike any the country has seen before.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 11:30 AM.