With crucial friendlies against Belgium and Portugal coming up next month, several key U.S. men’s national team players are trending toward making the roster with no injury concerns.
There was positive injury news for three players who are set to play a vital role at the World Cup this summer, as Ricardo Pepi, Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic all took steps forward over the weekend.
That trio’s return to health leads off this week’s Five.
Ricardo Pepi back with a bang
Ricardo Pepi was back ahead of schedule from a broken arm on Saturday, Feb. 21, and the PSV striker picked up exactly where he left off.
Pepi found the net with a brilliant long-range strike only minutes after coming on against Heerenveen, providing the insurance goal in a 3-1 win for PSV.
The striker had scored in five consecutive league matches when he suffered a broken arm on Jan. 10, which PSV said would keep him out for two months.
But Pepi returned a couple weeks early, which PSV coach Peter Bosz attributed to his strong mentality.
‘I believe that if you have a positive mindset, that contributes to your healing,’ Bosz said ahead of the game. ‘Ricardo Pepi when I was with him in the hospital was all about getting back on the field as soon as possible. He wanted to play football again. I think that helped him in particular.’
Tyler Adams back in the mix
Pepi wasn’t the only key USMNT player back on the pitch over the weekend, as Tyler Adams made his first appearance for Bournemouth since December in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with West Ham.
Adams started and went 66 minutes, putting in his usual strong defensive work in midfield with three duels won, five clearances, two tackles and five defensive recoveries.
The 27-year-old suffered an MCL sprain on Dec. 15 that Bournemouth said would sideline him for 2-3 months.
Adams wasn’t ahead of schedule like Pepi, but came in right at the two-month mark. That will give him plenty of time to get back in the swing of things before the USMNT’s March friendlies.
Christian Pulisic looks healthy in frustrating loss
Sunday may have been the death knell for AC Milan’s title hopes, but it also had some positive individual news for Christian Pulisic.
Pulisic started his first game in a month for Milan, which saw a 24-match unbeaten run snapped with a shocking 1-0 home loss to Parma.
With 10 points between them and first-place Inter, the Rossoneri may have to settle for a Champions League berth in what has still been a solid bounce-back campaign.
After dealing with bursitis over the past month, Pulisic was active in his return to the lineup. The 27-year-old had three shots on target and two chances created, and may have had multiple goal contributions on a different day.
The key for Pulisic now will be to stack a few starts together as he still chases his first goal contribution of 2026.
Folarin Balogun bounces back
We highlighted Folarin Balogun last week after he extended a lengthy dry spell with Monaco.
Balogun had gone 11 of 12 games scoreless before a week where he was at his deadly best against the two top teams in France right now.
First there was a midweek double against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, giving Monaco an early two-goal advantage it could not maintain in an eventual 3-2 defeat.
Just a few days later in Ligue 1, Monaco pulled off the exact reverse feat against first-place Lens. After going down two goals, Balogun scored to spark a furious second-half comeback that culminated in a 3-2 victory for the principality side.
Balogun’s goal output has been augmented – or limited, depending on your perspective – by his streakiness. After another long drought, the 24-year-old will hope the floodgates are now open.
Brenden Aaronson returns to earth
Brenden Aaronson was named Leeds Player of the Month for January, but there probably won’t be an encore this month.
Aaronson took his usual place in Leeds’ starting lineup against Aston Villa on Saturday, but couldn’t get much going before he was removed in the 73rd minute of a 1-1 draw.
The game at Villa Park marked the seventh in a row without a goal contribution for Aaronson, who scored three goals in January.
Aaronson has still had an excellent bounce-back campaign overall for Leeds, tallying four goals and three assists while contributing his usual strong link-up play and defensive work.
But if there was any notion that the goals and assists would start flowing after his prolific spell in December and January, the last month has dispelled that idea.
