The U. S. Men’s National Team is just one week away from regrouping for a crucial series of international friendlies against Ecuador in Austin, Texas (Oct. 10) and against Australia in Commerce City, Colo. (Oct. 14). It’s the second-to-last USMNT camp of 2025, and one in which coach Mauricio Pochettino will aim to stop experimenting and start narrowing down his roster for next summer’s World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Many Americans are performing well for their club teams around the world, but four stand out:
Christian Pulisic, AC Milan (Italy)
It’s been a wild few weeks for Pulisic in Italy. The attacker followed up a two-goal performance against Udinese with a stellar showing Sunday against league leader (and defending champion) Napoli. Pulisic assisted Alexis Saelemaekers’ goal in the third minute before scoring a banger of his own in the 31st. Those two goals were the difference: Milan wound up beating Napoli 2-1 and leapfrogged it to take the top spot in the Serie A table.
“It sends a message for sure,” Pulisic said of his team’s performance, per CBS Sports Golazo America.
It does — but Pulisic’s individual performance is sending a message, too. With four goals and two assists just five games into the Serie A season, he’s one of the most in-form players in the world.
Alex Zendejas, Club América (Mexico)
Juarez-born dual national Zendejas spent much of 2025 outside the USMNT looking in, but his nigh-unbelievable form with Club América in Mexico has brought him back into the fold for good. In a 4-1 win over Pumas UNAM on Saturday, he scored twice as América won the hotly contested Clasico Capitalino. His first goal was an audacious chip; his second, a thumping, decisive penalty.
Zendejas may not have the global appeal of Pulisic, the World Cup experience of Brenden Aaronson or the domestic pull of Diego Luna, but he’s quietly become one of the USMNT’s more fascinating wide attacking options — and he’s done so at precisely the right moment. He’s worth keeping an eye on as the Liga MX season develops.
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace (England)
Crystal Palace versus Liverpool was the headlining fixture of this Premier League weekend, and for good reason: Both teams entered the Saturday match unbeaten with plenty to prove. While many expected defending champion Liverpool to win, it was Palace that prevailed 2-1 thanks to an Eddie Nketiah goal on the last kick of the game.
Much has been written about Palace’s brilliant offense, and rightfully so; Nketiah, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Adam Wharton, Ismaila Sarr and Yeremy Pino are fantastic (and underrated) Premier League attackers. But Palace’s defense, anchored by USMNT regular Richards, is arguably even more impressive. It’s a three-man system that looks awfully similar to the one the USMNT experimented with successfully against Japan, and Richards looks fabulous within it.
Alex Freeman, Orlando City (USA)
21-year-old USMNT prospect Alex Freeman is the highest-scoring defender in Major League Soccer.
Freeman scored arguably the most impressive goal of his 2025 campaign Sunday against FC Cincinnati. With just two minutes left and Cincinnati up 1-0 in the crucial Eastern Conference clash, Freeman found himself some space in the penalty box and headed in a gorgeous Tyrese Spicer cross to level the score. The 1-1 tie all but ended Cincinnati’s hopes of winning the 2025 Supporters’ Shield and lifted Orlando to seventh in the Eastern Conference standings.