As destiny awaits, these are the untold stories of the USMNT’s World Cup star core

The Athletic has live coverage of USMNT vs Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

In the build-up to the World Cup, U.S. men’s national team star Christian Pulisic was often asked how this tournament could change his life. Pulisic downplayed it, viewing this summer as another big moment in a career filled with them.

After all, Pulisic had long been the heir to the “Captain America” nickname passed through the generations and for years he’s been the face of the national team. There was a time where he was referred to as “The LeBron James of Soccer” thanks to an episode of “Pawn Stars,” and he already won a Champions League title with Chelsea. There is a fair argument to be made, in a vacuum, it really just is another tournament for someone like him.

But legends of the program, who lived through a home World Cup in 1994, disagree. If you think you’re famous and beloved now, just wait and see what happens after you make noise this summer. That’s what Tony Meola, U.S. goalkeeper and captain in ’94, told The Athletic. Tab Ramos, viewed by many as the program’s best midfielder and a hero of that ‘94 team, agreed.

This summer can be life-changing for the 26 players in that locker room. So far, the group has not only met the challenge, but it has exceeded expectations while sweeping up hearts and minds across the country. On Monday, these U.S. men have their biggest game yet: a round-of-16 clash against Belgium in Seattle, set against the backdrop of a bona fide World Cup controversy.

With another chapter in their story on deck, get to know even more about the players who have featured most prominently in the U.S.’s World Cup run. These are the untold stories of some of those players:

Christian Pulisic

How Klinsmann green-lit his trip to prom

Just months after making his senior national team debut, a 17-year-old Pulisic approached head coach Jurgen Klinsmann with a request. He broached the conversation with caution as it was no small ask.

Pulisic hoped he might be able to depart training camp for a day to attend his hometown prom.

The USMNT was in Kansas City preparing for the Copa America. His prom, in Hershey, Pa., was the day before the team played a friendly against Bolivia.

“I don’t know how important something like that is, I didn’t grow up in the U.S.,” Klinsmann told The Athletic. “I told him to give me a couple minutes.”

Klinsmann called his wife, Debbie, who is U.S. born and raised, to get her thoughts. He wasn’t sure just how much a prom can mean to a kid. She quickly explained and, in fact, she implored her husband to say yes.

Are you serious? Klinsmann asked his wife. She insisted: Absolutely you have to let him go.

Klinsmann took her guidance to heart. He relayed to Pulisic: You’re clear to go as long as you’re back in time the next morning.

Arrangements were made and Pulisic was able to go and get back in time for the friendly against Bolivia.

“I thought it was a wonderful thing, he cared so much about seeing his friends from childhood and his hometown,” Klinsmann said. “I think it was adorable, it shows his connection to his roots. He cares about where he’s from, he never forgot that.”

A baby-faced Christian Pulisic celebrates his first USMNT goal in May 2016 (Colin E. Braley / AP Photo)

The next day, Pulisic became the youngest U.S. men’s goalscorer ever, to add to the legend.

Chasing his dream of professional soccer, Pulisic missed out on countless so-called “normal” experiences for a kid. Pulisic had left his hometown before his 16th birthday to sign with Borussia Dortmund and start his career in Germany. So this was a special opportunity.

“It was as much a lesson for me as it was for anybody else,” Klinsmann admitted.

Pulisic made good on his preternatural talent that saw him break records in his teenage years, then become the most expensive American soccer player ever in a transfer worth north of $70 million to Chelsea from Dortmund. He won the Champions League with the English club and has since moved to Italian giants AC Milan.

For the 27-year-old to accomplish all he has, and to shoulder the burden as the face of the USMNT at a home World Cup, Klinsmann isn’t surprised.

“We saw the potential and talent … then you need to execute without fear,” Klinsmann said. “And he never had fear. We saw that early.”

Tyler Adams

A dog from when he was a pup

Tyler Adams was 15 when walked into his first training sessions with the first team of Red Bull New York.

Felipe Martins, a starting defensive midfielder for the Red Bulls at the time, knew of Adams’ talent and potential.

“I was never easy on young players,” Martins told The Athletic. “I think these days you just go and let the kids do whatever they want and they become spoiled. Kids who show potential, I challenge them. When Tyler trained with us, I went at him the same I do to anyone.”

In 2017, Martins was voted by MLS players in an anonymous poll as the second-dirtiest player in the league. In a 2023 MLSPA player poll, he was voted as the league’s best trash talker.

In short: Not a guy to mess with.

In one of those first sessions, Martins arrived in a 50-50 challenge on a scrawny Adams with full force. The next chance Adams had, he laid a heavy challenge on Martins, which the veteran didn’t appreciate.

“You have to respect me,” Martins screamed at Adams. Adams got right in his face and screamed back: “If you want respect, you have to respect me too. It doesn’t matter if I’m young.”

Tyler Adams, center right, with former Red Bulls teammate Felipe Martins (Vincent Carchietta / USA TODAY Sports)

It came close, but no punches were thrown. It wasn’t the last time the two almost came close to blows in a training session. But from that moment on, Adams had Martins’ respect.

“I loved it,” Martins said. “I just loved it. That’s when he started to show his personality. There was other heated moments and he never backed down for one second, since day one.”

Martins would become Adams’ first roommate on the road. He says he helped show Adams the way of the dark arts, or, as he calls it, getting right up to the edge.

“I was a master of that,” Felipe said with a laugh.

The fearless player you see in the Premier League and at the World Cup for the U.S., the still slightly-built enforcer, has always been a dog.

“Tyler is not pretending to be no one else,” Martins said. “He doesn’t do it for show. At 15 years old, he was already like this. Some can try to be tough. No, he doesn’t try to be tough. He’s really tough. He’s different.”

Weston McKennie

Jokester, karaoke supporter, confidant

On a squad full of characters, McKennie stands out for his big and bright personality. He’s the loudest in rondos to start training sessions, always giving his all, laughing and teasing his teammates.

Behind closed doors, he’s the same way. McKennie is a jokester, one beloved by teammates and support staff.

One time in Spain before the 2022 World Cup at the end of a training camp, the team’s social media manager, Cody Sharrett, popped into the resort’s bar hoping to watch sports but found it was karaoke night.

McKennie joined Sharrett and immediately started egging him on to get up and do karaoke. When Sharrett went up — and performed Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” — McKennie was his biggest fan.

“It was just a fun time,” Sharrett said. “He was mostly laughing at me, it was pretty funny.”

Weston McKennie has a reputation as a jokester (John Dorton / ISI Photos / Getty Images)

McKennie isn’t all laughs and jokes. When it’s time to be serious, he’s as serious as they come. Not just on the field, where he’s always down for a fight to defend his teammates, but how he supports and looks out for them off it, too.

When Alex Freeman was weighing up his future, it was McKennie who helped give him a push to go to Villarreal. One source said the pair spent “hours” on the phone, with McKennie telling Freeman he was ready.

Folarin Balogun

Mentality monster

When Balogun first joined AS Monaco from Arsenal, the move was widely celebrated. Balogun, long before he had become both a World Cup breakout star and unwitting lightning rod for controversy, had just lit up Ligue 1 on loan with Reims and Monaco paid a big fee to sign him.

Balogun scored in his debut off the bench and, in his first start the following game, he stepped up to take a penalty.

It was saved.

Early in the second half, Monaco was awarded another penalty. Balogun stepped up again.

Again, it was saved. It was a nightmare first start for the center forward.

“He showed a very strong mentality to overcome this and he became even stronger,” Monaco sporting director Carlos Aviña said. “Other players could melt down over this.”

A 2023 match vs. Nice was not so nice for Folarin Balogun, who had two penalties saved in a Monaco defeat (Jean Catuffe / Getty Images)

Balogun bounced back for a respectable debut season but lost much of 2024-25 to injury. This season, with 19 goals and five assists across all competitions, Balogun is in line for a big-money transfer to the Premier League this summer. He didn’t let an early hurdle take him down.

Off the field, Balogun is well-liked, and for Monaco, it’s unique for a big European club to have a Mexican sporting director and American star striker.

“We always used to tease each other and we’d put spicy sauce on the topic of U.S. vs. Mexico every international break,” Aviña said.

Malik Tillman

How his family experienced his free kick

Tillman is soft-spoken, calm, measured and rarely shows extreme emotion, good or bad. He’s been this way as long as the people closest to him can remember.

“He’s always been quiet,” Timothy Tillman, LAFC midfielder and Malik’s older brother, said. “In German we have a saying: You have to pull the words out of his nose.”

Instead, Tillman makes his noise with a soccer ball, just as he has done at the World Cup. His defining moment (so far) is a game-sealing free kick against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.

Timothy was in attendance with their mother, Anja.

Malik Tillman’s family was in attendance as he celebrated his free kick vs. Bosnia (John Dorton / USSF / Getty Images)

“As soon as the foul happened, I thought, ‘This is going to be his moment,’” he said. “I’m not a big video or photo guy in stadiums, but I had a feeling for that one. I took my phone out, recorded it. Special moment, I’m super proud.”

Timothy’s favorite moments of this tournament may not be the on-field success, though it fills him with indescribable joy. It’s the family time that is increasingly rare for two professional players on different continents with a nine-hour time difference.

“We were driving to the stadium, I asked my mom: Who would have thought I would be living here in L.A. and we’d go see a World Cup match where Malik is playing?” he said. “It fulfills us with a lot of pride and happiness. Joy. Yeah, joy is the biggest word for it.”

Alex Freeman

Vulnerability, class amid a career-changing move

Orlando City was in preseason in Mexico in January, 2026, when a breakthrough was finally reached: A deal had been agreed upon with Villarreal for Freeman, then a rising homegrown right back.

Villarreal long wanted the player, first approaching Orlando the previous summer. Freeman’s contract was due to expire in 18 months at that time. Orlando wanted to re-sign him before eventually transferring him to Europe, but Freeman was ready now. He told sporting director Ricardo Moreira as much in an emotional conversation between the pair, in which both shed tears.

The relationship between player and executive was strong – it still is – and Freeman loves Orlando. But he was ready.

“We were in a vulnerable moment,” Moreira told The Athletic. “It was the first time I cried with a player.”

Villarreal was content to wait until his contract expired at the end of 2026 to sign Freeman on a free transfer if a deal could not be reached. In these situations, players are given a more lucrative contract because the club didn’t need to pay a transfer fee. In other words, it would have financially suited Freeman to run his contract down and leave for free.

Freeman, despite his own interests, didn’t want that to happen. It was important to him he left in the right way and his boyhood club also benefitted.

“Alex always wanted to make sure the club was compensated for a transfer,” Moreira said. “He didn’t want to leave for free.”

Alex Freeman celebrates a goal for Orlando City (Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)

The story is backed up by numerous sources with knowledge of the situation. The Athletic first reported when a deal was struck: Freeman, throughout the process, was clear to his agents and the club he did not want to leave for free. Even if it meant less money for him.

After Orlando and Villarreal agreed to terms last winter, Freeman was given the green light to depart preseason and complete the deal. He needed a quick pitstop in Orlando to pack up and continue to Spain.

When Orlando returned to the facility long after Freeman departed, they found gifts: Two dozen purple No. 30 Orlando City jerseys, signed by No. 30 himself.

“He wanted to give a gift to everybody who was involved in his development. That’s just who he is,” Moreria said.

“We knew that was going to represent good money in the future, maybe,” Moreira said jokingly. He’s never getting rid of that jersey for any price.

Tim Ream

Goes with the flow with the old-man jokes

The U.S. captain has heard all the “old guy” jokes. For instance, when the 38-year-old center back scores in training, teammates will whistle.

“We’ll say he’s the oldest scorer in World Cup history,” Balogun told the media earlier in camp with a big grin. “Stuff like that.”

Ream embraces it and banters back. He’s happy to be here and has earned his role with the team, even when there was a time he figured this dream was over.

For large portions of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, Ream wasn’t involved with the group. He started one of the qualifiers. He thought his World Cup dream was over before winning not just a place on the roster, but a crucial starting spot. He played every minute for the U.S. in Qatar and, at 34 and even then the oldest player on the team, he figured it was one-and-done for him at the World Cup.

Then with every passing national team camp since 2022 that Ream remained with the group, he kept dreaming. He never lost his place. His hard work to extend his career at the highest level paid off and Ream remains a crucial part of the 2026 team.

“I don’t really think about my age or everything that I’ve done,” Ream said. “I just know that everything I’ve done has been for a reason and it’s all been worth it to be here and stand here and have this conversation.”

USMNT center backs Chris Richards and Tim Ream walk out of the tunnel onto the field for the World Cup round of 32 (Carlos Barria / Reuters)

Chris Richards

How he fell in love with soccer

Richards played a number of sports growing up in addition to soccer, particularly he was an excellent basketball player. Born deep in a part of the country where American football is etched into the fabric of society, in another life, he may have played American football, too, but his dad, a basketball player himself, didn’t want him to because of brain injury worries.

Thankfully for coach Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT, Richards got a taste of soccer and never had much pull to American football, despite being from Alabama. Being from Hoover, high-level youth programs were sparse. Richards didn’t get into any national program (youth national team or Olympic Development Program) until he was well into his teens.

A trip to Argentina before his 16th birthday sealed his dream: Richards told his dad he wanted to focus on soccer.

“I remember pulling up in a charter bus and people were throwing stuff at our bus,” Richards told The Athletic in 2022. “It was scary but, for me, it was this amazing experience. I came back home and that was when I told my dad that I didn’t want to play basketball anymore, this is what I want — I want soccer.”

Sergiño Dest

Does it for the ‘gram

The first time Richards met Dest at a U.S. youth national team camp, it was clear the latter was quite the character.

Richards and Dest were roommates at a U-20 camp at IMG Academy in Florida. At the time, Dest was a burgeoning talent in the Ajax academy but Richards was signed by Bayern Munich while at FC Dallas.

With the notoriety that comes from signing with Bayern, even its extended youth set-up, Richards picked up social media followers. Dest, ever aware, was hoping to drift off his new friend and pick up some followers, too. Richards left their room with music playing and, when he returned, found Dest dancing shirtless in the mirror with his hat carefully tilted to the side, “like T.I.”, Richards said.

“He’s like, ‘Hey, bro, make me a video, bro,’” Richards told The Athletic in 2022. “So I take a video. He’s like, ‘Send it to me.’ So I sent it to him, he posts it on Instagram. Back then, I had more followers than him. He’s like, ‘Bro, post it on your story too and tag me, bro. I need followers.’ We always had this joke whenever we would see Serg, he was always asking us for followers back then.”

Sergiño Dest has a laugh at USMNT World Cup training (Bailey Holiver / Imagn Images)

Dest currently has 1.7 million followers on Instagram. Social media is an important part of Dest’s story with the fans, particularly the biggest U.S. fans in tune with both the youth national teams and social media. He was a fan favorite long before he made his debut.

Dest would post his own highlight reels on social media, much to the delight of observers.

“He’s a great interview. He’s very articulate about the game, a sophisticated way of talking about football,” Adam Belz, founder of The Scuffed Podcast, said. “But he also posts his own highlight reels. … It’s a lot like other Serg stories, it’s so innocent.”

Matt Freese

Harvard’s finest

If Freese never made it as a high-level professional athlete, his brain would have carried him in life just fine.

Freese attended Harvard before beginning his professional career with the Philadelphia Union. He got the big break he was waiting for after a trade to NYCFC, where he eventually won the starting job. Before long after becoming the starter, the national team took notice. Almost immediately after getting his USMNT debut, he became the first-choice goalkeeper.

That Harvard education is serving him and may well continue this summer. Freese, who has a meticulous everyday routine, actually wrote an academic paper on the science of saving penalties.

Freese won’t disclose the contents of that paper. Maybe we’ll get to see for ourselves this summer.

Paraguay’s Diego Gomez tries to shoot against (from top) Matt Freese, Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards (Daniel Cole / Reuters)

Antonee Robinson

A man with many talents

For about half a decade, Robinson has been a pillar of consistency for both the U.S. and his club, Fulham.

The hard-working left back would cover every blade of grass from endline to endline, seemingly endlessly running. He has accrued 57 caps for the USMNT and from 2022-25 in the Premier League, he missed just five of Fulham’s 114 games in the most physically demanding league in the world. Off the field, he’s a man of many talents. One is card tricks, which he wowed his Fulham teammates with a few years ago.

Robinson has another hidden talent: Playing the piano.

“Anytime there was a piano at the hotel, he’d play something beautiful,” Sharrett said. “He’s a talented guy.”