The United States men’s national team are 203 days away from kicking off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, and Yunus Musah is doing everything he can to be on Mauricio Pochettino’s roster for that opening game on June 12.
Musah played a prominent role at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, starting all four matches played as USMNT escaped a group containing England, Wales and Iran before falling to the Netherlands in the Round of 16.
This time around, the World Cup is on home soil and excitement levels are rapidly building towards a tournament that is being co-hosted by Mexico and Canada.
“The World Cup is the world's biggest sporting event. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that? It's such a huge thing and you’ll remember it forever,” Musah tells Sports Illustrated. “You go through amazing moments together, and they're the best matches that a footballer wants to play.”
The 22-year-old midfielder is finding his feet this season with a new club, having joined Serie A side Atalanta in the summer on loan—he’d spent the previous two campaigns with AC Milan, alongside fellow American standout, Christian Pulisic.
So far, Musah has struggled to find minutes, but he remains confident that he can crack the Serie A side’s starting lineup in the near future and battle his way into a highly competitive USMNT roster.
“[There have been] lots of opportunities to see lots of different players, and it’s been a great opportunity for everyone,” he says. “We have a big selection of players that can go to the national team, which is a bonus, like you can call up so many different guys.
“I've been a part of the national team in so many games, so I obviously love it, and it's a shame that I wasn’t there, but I'm working hard to go back.”
While the limited minutes at Atalanta may have cost him a role with the USMNT in the final camp of the year, with the squad picking up wins against South American World Cup-bound sides, Paraguay and Uruguay, he’s not far off.
Pochettino called up 71 players in 2025, and Musah ranked 24th in appearances, with two caps at the March Concacaf Nations League finals. Now, the focus is on the long season and ensuring he is on the team for March friendlies, which could set the stage for the final World Cup squad.
USMNT Players Showcasing Their Abilities
Playing in the spotlight of Serie A, Musah is one of four Americans currently in the Italian top flight, including Pulisic, Weston McKennie at Juventus and former Inter Miami midfielder and U.S youth international Benjamin Cremaschi, who recently signed with Parma.
A number of current and ex-USMNT stars, including Pulisic and Clint Dempsey, have previously called out the bias against American soccer players and how it's harder for them to establish themselves at European clubs than players from elsewhere.
That’s a sentiment Musah agrees with, but he’s confident perceptions will change as the hard yards continue to be put in.
“I think you have to just work even harder than others,” Musah says. “I've been battling my whole career. Everywhere I go, I've had to prove myself, which sometimes is tough because I've played for a while now and I still need to keep proving myself, which is annoying, but that's the reality.
“We can't change it,” he says of the preconceived initial impression of American players. “We just have to keep doing as we're doing. We're doing really well, showing people that we can do it, and eventually, they see it.
“Americans are very good athletes in general, but now you can see that there are a lot of good soccer players in America as well,” Musah continues, having played with Valencia in Spain and previously at Arsenal’s academy in England. “With four of us in the league for a few seasons [Timothy Weah left Juventus for Marseille in the summer], it has really opened eyes to other Americans that it is possible to play in this area.”
Despite past hesitancy towards American players, the latest generation has dispelled much of the stigma, building on the legacy of Dempsey and other Americans who found past success across the Atlantic.
This season, 25 Americans are in the Serie A, Bundesliga, Premier League, La Liga, and Ligue 1.
Finding His Feet at Atalanta
The World Cup squad may be the most significant goal for Musah, but the immediate focus is on his minutes with Atalanta, which recently appointed Raffaele Palladino as manager after Ivan Jurić departed in November.
“In training, I actually felt really good,” Musah says. “I've actually felt like I've been improving on little things, little details, and it's been good training and playing with these guys very quickly.”
Through his first eight matches with the club, Musah has amassed just 188 minutes and one start. Still, he’s been focusing on finding his form, knowing the qualities he has previously displayed as one of the USMNT’s brightest midfield prospects.
“I found this new journey here in Atalanta and I’m trying to find my way, to keep improving,” he says, having joined the club to get more minutes after falling out of starting favor in Milan. “It’s a great club and has been doing great last season, which really attracted me. I hope I can really get into the starting lineup and just smash it.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT’s Yunus Musah: Who Wouldn't Want to Play at the World Cup?.
