Top 5 Current USMNT Stars | Unfiltered Soccer

Summary

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Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard

Episode: Top 5 Current USMNT Stars | Unfiltered Soccer
Date: April 7, 2026

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Episode Overview

Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, two icons of U.S. soccer, dive into ranking the top five most important and impactful players on the current U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) as the 2026 World Cup approaches. Through candid debate and insider perspectives, they not only list their picks but also discuss the shifting roles and expectations of key players, exploring what each star brings and what it will take for the USMNT to make a serious run this summer.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Makes a “Star” on This USMNT?

• The co-hosts agree the list isn’t about pure talent but the players who must deliver for the team to succeed at the World Cup.
• Quote Landon Donovan [00:28]:
  “So stars, leaders, most important. Yeah, I have. I have a fairly easy top five. Like this, this to me has to be right. And if…it’s not, then I don’t think we advance very far.”

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Landon Donovan’s Initial Top 5 Picks ([00:28])

1. Christian Pulisic
2. Flo Balogun
3. Matt Freese
4. Weston McKennie
5. Chris Richards

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Tim Howard’s Challenge: The Order Matters

Tim Howard feels the priority should reflect who is most critical for the team advancing, especially defensively:

• Quote Tim Howard [01:20]:
  “I’m saying who is going to be the most important to our success?...If we are going to advance deep in the tournament, I think Matt Freese has to be a star.”

Howard’s rationale: While anyone can potentially score, a world-class goalkeeper performance is essential given the USMNT’s current vulnerabilities.

• He pushes Matt Freese up to his #1 spot, but Landon concedes only to #2.

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The #1 Debate: Balogun’s Burden ([02:18])

Landon pivots—the striker’s goal output is the bright line:

• Quote Landon Donovan [02:26]:
  “Here’s why he has to score in this World Cup. Two to three goals he has to score. Which, by the way, would be a monumental task if he scores three goals in the World Cup…”

Howard agrees that given Pulisic’s recent poor scoring form, Balogun must be the one to finish chances:

• Quote Tim Howard [03:09]:
  “I can make the case too that Christian’s form has been poor this year. And you can’t bet right now that he’s going to be the guy who’s scoring the goals. You really can’t.”

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Richards & The Defensive Core ([03:45])

• Discussion centers on how Richards, as the primary center back, needs to anchor the defense, but perhaps doesn’t need to be “superstar” impactful if he’s reliably solid.
• Quote Landon Donovan [04:08]:
  “He’s going to be strong, commanding, sharp in the turn, definitely long on long throws and set pieces… So that’s sort of why my expectation of him is so much higher. I know what he’s bringing.”

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Pulisic & McKennie—Changing Momentum ([04:26])

• Contrasting the current form of both:
  • McKennie is described as “the man at Juve” and a near-automatic starter for the USMNT.
  • Pulisic, after being the best player in Serie A, has not scored since December.
• Quote Tim Howard [05:02]:
  “Weston’s flying. So I don’t know. I…don’t really care where you put those two.”

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Just Outside the Top 5: Adams, Robinson, Ream ([05:13])

• Tyler Adams: Consistently effective but less critical in a “must-be-a-star” sense because his contribution is always steady.
  • Quote Landon Donovan [05:18]:
    “He’s the kind of guy, he’s so good and he constantly shows up that…he’s probably missing from this list just because we know exactly what he’s going to do…”
• Antonee Robinson & Tim Ream:
  • Like Adams, seen as reliable pieces—if they do stand out, it’s a bonus.
  • Quote Tim Howard [05:43]:
    “He’s Chris Richards. Right? Like, you know what you’re going to get…might end up being a star, but he doesn’t have to be a star.”
  • Howard floats a “hot take” that if Ream turns in a spectacular World Cup, it could be transformative, though both acknowledge it’s a long shot.

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Final Consensus Ranking

After back-and-forth debate and considerating both current form and positional importance, their agreed top five (in approximate order):

1. Folarin Balogun (Flo Balogun) – Must carry the scoring burden.
2. Matt Freese – Needs to be exceptional in goal for a deep run.
3. Christian Pulisic – Still a potential x-factor, though his form is questioned.
4. Weston McKennie – Flying at club level, now indispensable for the USMNT.
5. Chris Richards – Defensive anchor; a rock at the back.

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Howard on the stakes for goalkeeping ([01:20]):
  “If he’s not a star, I don’t see us going far.”
• Donovan on the striker’s pressure ([02:26]):
  “He has to score at least two goals in the World Cup…and if they advance, then six. In five games, he has to score two to three goals.”
• Discussing steady performers like Adams ([05:18]):
  “I could probably already give him his marks for the World Cup now…and say why he’s going to be effective.”

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Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:07 — Introduction of the series and premise for the top five USMNT stars
• 00:28 — Landon’s initial ranking
• 01:09–02:09 — Tim advocates for the essential role of the goalkeeper
• 02:18–02:58 — Breakdown of why Balogun’s goal output is the key metric
• 03:45–04:26 — Deep dive on Chris Richards’ value and reliability
• 04:26–05:13 — Discussing shifting fortunes of McKennie and Pulisic
• 05:13–06:17 — Recognizing the importance of other players (Adams, Robinson, Ream), and the potential for a surprise star to emerge

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Conclusion

Landon and Tim’s list reflects not just talent but the weight of responsibility and positional necessity going into the 2026 World Cup. Balogun and Freese emerge as the lynchpins for success, while Pulisic and McKennie carry their own distinct pressures. The debate underscores depth and potential wild cards—essential listening for any USMNT fan eager for insight on what could make the difference this summer.

Transcript

[A]

This bonus content is brought to you by Coca Cola and Carnival Cruise Line.

[B]

All right, over the next month, we're going to bring you a series of top five lists pertaining to the US Men's national team squad as we get ready for the World Cup Today, we begin at the top of the roster. The guys who will carry the team to me, the guys who will lead the way. These are our top five American stars on this summer's squad.

[A]

Yeah. So stars, leaders, most important. Yeah, yeah, I have. I have a fairly easy top five. Like this. This to me has to be right. And if. If it's not, then I don't think we advance very far. But number five would be Chris Richards.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Number four would be Weston McKinney. Number three, Matt Freeze. Number two, Flo Baligan. And number one, of course, Christian Pulisic.

[B]

So. So you say these need to be the stars in that order for us to go far.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay, so I agree with the guys. I don't agree with the order.

[A]

Okay, which one don't you like?

[B]

So I'm going to just work my way through this. So I'm just going to start with number one. It can't be Chris Richards.

[A]

You mean number five?

[B]

No, no, no. I'm saying who is the going to be the most important to our success? I mean, this is going to sound kind of crazy, but we are going to get out of the group. Yeah, of course we are. Likely. Recent results notwithstanding, going to win the group if we are going to advance deep in the tournament. I think Matt Freeze has to be a star. And I think lots of guys could score goals. Christian can score, Flo can score, Wes can score, Malik Tillman can score. But that has been a massive question mark. And if he's not a star, I don't see us going far. So I'm just going to start there jumping him up.

[A]

You want him jump two places?

[B]

Yeah, I think if we're going to go far in the tournament, I think he has to be the star.

[A]

All right, I will concede to you that I have him at three right now. You have him at one. We can get him to two. That's as high as we can get.

[B]

Okay, you're keeping Christian at one.

[A]

No, I'm happy to come off of that. But as you're speaking, I think then Flo has to be number one.

[B]

Really.

[A]

Here's why he has to score in this World Cup. Two to three goals he has to score. Which, by the way, would be a monumental task if he scores three goals in the World Cup.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So he has to score at least two goals in the World cup and group stage, three games and then the next game. So you get four. So five games, let's say in a perfect world. And if they advance, then six. In five games, he has to score two to three goals.

[B]

And you think if he doesn't, is there anyone else who can do that? Leading the line?

[A]

He's our nine, right? He's a nine. That for me makes him most important.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I can make the case too that Christian's form has been poor this year. And you can't bet right now that he's going to be the guy who's scoring the goals. You really can't. Okay, fine, I'll concede that. Okay, so then three. I mean, at some point. So we have Christian west and Chris Richards. Right. I think, you know, this is hard, man, because Chris Richards, he's our only real center back. And so if he doesn't play well, if he's not a star, that means we're probably going to concede a lot of goals.

[A]

No, but, and, but this list is sort of. We have to pick the five stars, right? And we have to in like, order of importance. And I think we're. Yeah, I can maybe take him off the bottom, but like, for me, he's going to be strong, commanding, sharp in the turn, definitely long on long throws and set pieces. He's going to be in the mix scoring goals or maybe nicking a goal or two. So, like, I kind of know what we're going to get with him and I, and I sort of think if he does that, that doesn't have to be a standout. That could just be him being solid and steady. So that's sort of why my expectation of him is so much higher. You know what I mean? Like, I, I know what he's bringing.

[B]

Understood. Okay, so that's fine. We can leave him at 5. So then it's Wes and Tyler. Wes and Christian. Sorry, it's kind of six and one, half dozen. The other Wes. It's so funny. Like, if you had asked me a year ago, they were in opposite places. Remember, Wes was like on the verge of not getting called in. Pochettino wasn't really happy with him and now he's like the man at Juve. He's probably the first name on the US team sheet. Christian was the best player in Serie A and now he hasn't scored a goal since December.

[A]

Flying.

[B]

And Weston's flying. So I don't know. I, I Don't really care where you put those two.

[A]

No. So that's. I sort of. I sort of think then for me, Pisa get three and McKinney at four.

[B]

Yeah. And then if there's anyone outside that list who would. Who would come into that. Tyler.

[A]

Tyler. Yeah. I mean, I just, I. You know, he's. He's the kind of guy, he gets. He's so good and he constantly shows up that, like, I don't. He's probably missing from this list just because we know. We know exactly what he's going to do, you know, and I can. I could probably already give him his marks for the World cup now, you know, and say what. Why he's going to be effective. So Anthony Robinson, maybe.

[B]

But he's. To your point, I mean, he's Chris Richards. Right. Like, you know what you're going to get. He's Tyler, he's solid. He doesn't have to be a star. He might end up being a star, but he doesn't have to be a star. He just needs to be consistent and solid. I like our group and I'm just thinking, like, Tim Ream is an interesting one, because if for some reason he was a star, doesn't that make our chances, like, significantly better if he, like, just had a phenomenal.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Phenomenal World Cup.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You don't see it happening?

[A]

No, I mean, not necessarily. I mean, this is.

[B]

I know he's not one of our stars. I'm saying if he became, like, there's going to be one or two guys who we're not thinking about, who all of a sudden are going to be. It could be, I don't know, Aiden Morris, or it could be Serginio Dest, or it could be somebody who. We're not thinking about that if they do well and play well and are really effective, it can make us a lot better. And Tim Reem feels like the guy. If we're playing in a back four for sure next to Chris Richards, or if we're in a three and he has a fantastic tournament, that will mean that our team is defensively more solid. And, you know, you're making a case.

[A]

It's a hot take.

[B]

I'm trying to.

[A]

Hot take.

[B]

I'm trying. All right. Hot takes, cold coke, open seas. Your Carnival Cruise is waiting. Visit carnival.com unfiltered and enter for your chance to win a Carnival Cruise.