Will USMNT's star absentees hurt hopes for 2026 World Cup? - ESPN

There were undoubtedly some close calls in the group stage, but the U.S. men's national team have so far gotten the job done in the Gold Cup. Winning their group with a perfect three wins from three matches against Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti, head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his title contenders have picked up momentum and avoided a disastrous early exit in the competition.

Preparing for Sunday's quarterfinal against Costa Rica in Minneapolis and still in the race for an eighth title as they've managed sweltering temperatures, there's one scorching hot talking point that has yet to be doused in American soccer circles: Where are the Americans' best players?

For a variety of reasons ranging from injuries, rest and Club World Cup duty, the USMNT are currently without a long list of marquee names, which includes Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic.

Because the Gold Cup is played every other year, it's not out of the ordinary to have alternate squads like the one the U.S. is fielding this summer, but one year out from the FIFA World Cup, it's fair to ask if this will hurt the ongoing evolution of the national team under Pochettino. Especially considering how infrequently these big names have suited up alongside each other since last year.

«You never know six months from now what players are available, who's hurt, who's playing at their club… I don't think that [time] is as important as most people may think. I think that you can put the team together at the end,» Tab Ramos, who has played for the USMNT and coached within the national team structure, said to ESPN.

"[But] we're likely going to go into the World Cup, not really with Pochettino, not really understanding 100