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Luna, Musah and other fringe players with 2030 World Cup hopes

As the United States men's national team kicks off its path toward the 2030 World Cup, head coach Mauricio Pochettino announced he is wiping the slate clean and evaluating a fresh pool of candidates, offering hope to those overlooked for the 2026 tournament who are currently in strong form. While players like Holstein Kiel's John Tolkin and Lyon's Tanner Tessmann might face a delay due to positional depth, others could see action across four upcoming exhibition games starting in late September.

Among the candidates pushing for a return is 23-year-old AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah, who notched Pochettino's inaugural USMNT goal against Panama in October 2024 before fading from view after a tough loan with Atalanta. Now thriving under new Milan boss Ruben Amorim alongside Luka Modric, Musah has already matched his prior season's tally of full 90-minute appearances, notably contributing crucial defensive efforts in a recent 1-1 tie at Juventus.

Real Salt Lake's 23-year-old attacker Diego Luna is similarly aiming to resurrect his international standing after enduring the disappointment of missing out on the previous World Cup.