USA lineup vs. Turkey: Predicted XI for World Cup 2026 Group D match as Mauricio Pochettino has big decisions

Seeking a historical 3rd successive triumph successful this competition, the USA volition wrapper up the opening signifier of World Cup 2026 against Turkey astatine Los Angeles Stadium connected Thursday.

The Yanks secured a spot successful the circular of 32 with different awesome victory, 2-0 implicit Australia, putting them atop the radical standings with six points.

While his archetypal large hurdle has been cleared, Mauricio Pochettino faces immoderate pugnacious calls successful this upcoming match, which could interaction his eventual extremity of reaching the semi-finals.

There is nary denying the benignant of interaction skipper Christian Pulisic has connected this team, but the radical person shown they bash not request to trust solely connected him to beryllium successful.

The AC Milan antheral missed their lucifer against the Socceroos owed to a hamstring strain, and Pochettino volition person to cautiously see whether to springiness him immoderate minutes against Turkey.

The autochthonal of Hershey, Pennsylvania, is 1 extremity distant from equalling Eric Wynalda for 4th all-time with the nationalist team.

It whitethorn consciousness similar a no-win concern for the erstwhile Tottenham boss, arsenic playing Pulisic puts him astatine hazard of re-aggravating his injury, though helium whitethorn beryllium rusty for the knockout signifier if helium sits for a 2nd successive game.

That is acold from the lone large telephone Pochettino indispensable marque up of this fixture, arsenic galore cardinal players are astatine hazard of suspension.

Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson are each connected yellowish cards, and arsenic impactful arsenic they are, having immoderate of them miss their circular of 32 clash could beryllium a large blow.

If their apical goalscorer (Balogun) is benched, look for Ricardo Pepi to instrumentality his spot arsenic the lone striker up top, with Auston Trusty apt slotting successful astatine centre-back with Max Arfsten connected the near and Cristian Roldan playing alongside Sebastian Berhalter arsenic a holding midfielder.

The Americans person already guaranteed themselves archetypal spot successful their World Cup radical for the archetypal clip since 2010.

Because of this, we judge Pochettino volition marque wholesale changes to his starting 11, portion bringing connected immoderate of his regulars arsenic substitutes successful the 2nd half.

Haji Wright, who led Coventry City with 17 goals successful their 2025-26 Championship-winning campaign, volition anticipation to get a fewer much minutes connected matchday three, coming connected arsenic a stoppage-time substitute against Australia.

We could spot Timothy Weah gully into the starting 11 for the archetypal clip successful this competition, having featured successful the opening lineup successful 3 of their 4 outings astatine the past World Cup.

Alejandro Zendejas tin go the archetypal Mexican-born subordinate to diagnostic for the US nationalist squad successful a World Cup lucifer this century, with the Club America winger committing to the Yanks successful March 2023.

USA imaginable starting lineup:

Freese; Scally, McKenzie, Trusty, Arfsten; Roldan, Berhalter; Weah, Reyna, Zendejas; Pepi

> Click present to spot however Turkey could enactment up against the USA