Ranking USA’s top 10 greatest World Cup players of all-time, from Christian Pulisic to Clint Dempsey

The USMNT will have dreams of dazzling crowds on home soil at this summer’s World Cup.

Mauricio Pochettino‘s men kick-off their 2026 tournament against Paraguay on June 12, and will hope to successfully navigate a group that also includes Australia and Turkey.

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The US has reached the knockouts in each of their last three appearances (2010, 2014 and 2022) but were stumped at the Round of 16 on all of those occasions.

With the kind of home advantage that comes from being a co-host alongside Canada and Mexico, Pochettino will want to lead his team at least a few steps further — despite the suggestion fans need to temper expectations.

He will be relying on the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi to provide some magical moments on the biggest stage, and to perhaps write the richest chapter in USMNT history to date.

That’s not to say, of course, that players of the past didn’t have some big moments of their own.

Ahead of this summer’s tournament, check out talkSPORT’s ranking of the 10 greatest US players in World Cup history.

10) Jermaine Jones

While he only went to one World Cup, Jermaine Jones provided a moment that will be well remembered by US fans.

Against Portugal in 2014, the defensive midfielder collected the ball around 25 yards out, and shifted it onto his right foot.

Jones, who had a brief Premier League loan spell with Blackburn Rovers in 2011, then unleashed a curling strike from distance that left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot, as it kissed the post before nestling in the back of the net.

His effort remains one of the most technically brilliant US goals ever scored at a World Cup.

It’s a finish that will be replayed in USMNT highlight packages for years to come, and helped the team secure a much-needed point in the ‘Group of Death’ that sent Cristiano Ronaldo & Co. home early.

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Had injury not prevented Jones from missing out on the 2010 World Cup, there’s a chance he could have made an impact to land higher on this list.

9) Brad Friedel

While he didn’t have as storied an international career as Tim Howard (more on him later), Brad Friedel still made a massive impression at the 2002 World Cup.

He did that by saving two penalties.

Friedel first stopped a spot-kick from South Korea’s Lee Eul-yong in front of a deafening, hostile host crowd, which preserved an important 1-1 draw in the USMNT’s second group game.

A few days later, he then denied Poland’s Maciej Zurawski to write himself into American folklore.

The US did lose that game 3-1, but advanced to the knockouts regardless.

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Friedel, who is the current Premier Leagye record holder for most consecutive appearances with 310, a feat he achieved during spells at Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, was the last line of defence for a squad that went all the way to the quarterfinals, their best finish since 1930.

Some even argued he should have won the Golden Glove, awarded to the tournament’s best goalkeeper, over Oliver Kahn.

8) Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley might not be a name that jumps off the page, but he was a key man at two different World Cups.

The central midfielder, who made three appearances for Aston Villa during a brief loan spell in 2011, had an incredible soccer brain, helping him earn 151 caps over his 13-year career with the national team.

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Only two players — Cobi Jones (164) and Landon Donovan (157) have played more games for the US.

Bradley’s best World Cup moment came in 2010, when he slipped into the box and fired an effort into the roof of the net against Slovenia.

His goal completed a much-needed comeback from 2-0 down, and offered the US some redemption in South Africa, as their dreams of the knockouts appeared to be slipping away.

7) Christian Pulisic

The only current player to make our list, Christian Pulisic will be hoping to further establish his World Cup legacy this summer.

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He’s already provided a huge moment on the international stage, which came in 2022 against Iran.

The USMNT needed a win to reach the knockout stage, and late in the first half, it was talisman Pulisic who stepped up.

He put his body on the line for his country, rushing under the crossbar to turn in Sergino Dest’s headed cross from close range.

Pulisic collided with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand in the process, and was replaced at halftime having sustained a nasty injury.

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He was taken to hospital with a pelvic contusion, but returned to play in the Round of 16 against the Netherlands a few days later.

6) DaMarcus Beasley

When it comes to longevity, few come close to DaMarcus Beasley.

He’s the only American to play in four World Cups, and went from a high-flying young midfielder in 2002, to a defensive veteran in 2014.

So versatile was Beasley, that he was deployed on the left wing for much of his career, before later settling at left back on the biggest stage.

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In his evolved role, he played every minute of all four World Cup games for the USMNT in 2014, and was later inducted to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

5) Brian McBride

Before the likes of Donovan and Clint Dempsey started banging in the goals for USMNT, it was Brian McBride scoring on the biggest stage.

He was, in fact, the first American to net at two different World Cups — in 1998 and 2002.

His goal against Iran in ’98 was actually the only one scored by the US that year.

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His nation came back much stronger four years later, and McBride scored the first in a famous 2-0 knockout victory against Mexico.

The forward, who had spells with Preston North End, Everton and Fulham in England, stuck around for the 2006 World Cup before calling quits on the international game.

McBride is still remembered as one of the most dangerous US stars of the modern era.

4) Claudio Reyna

Claudio Reyna still stands as the only American to be named in a World Cup Team of the Tournament.

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He earned that honor in 2002, having dominated the midfield against arch-rival Mexico in the Round of 16.

Reyna, who played for Rangers, Sunderland, and Manchester City, was key to orchestrating that win, which featured goals from McBride and a young Donovan.

While he missed the opening group game against Portugal, Reyna starred over the next four in what was one of the greatest runs we’ve seen from an American player.

That summer, he featured in the tournament’s best XI alongside the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack.

3) Clint Dempsey

Clint Dempsey went to three World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014) and scored in all of those editions.

He was a big-time player for the big stage, and netted just 29 seconds into the 2014 opener against Ghana.

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It was one of the fastest goals in tournament history, and put the US on course to survive the ‘Group of Death’ which also featured Portugal and Germany.

The latter, of course, went on to win the World Cup that year, while Portugal crashed out at the group stage.

Over the years, the former Fulham and Tottenham star had a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and also scored an infamous goal against England in 2010, which secured USMNT a vital draw.

2) Tim Howard

From an attacking player to a human wall.

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Tim Howard featured in three World Cups — which is impressive in its own right.

But one game stands out above the rest.

Against Belgium in 2014, the ex Manchester United and Everton stopper put in a goalkeeping performance so good that he was dubbed the ‘Secretary of Defense’.

He made an astonishing 16 saves against Belgium’s golden generation, which featured the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.

The Europeans were unable to get past him during the 90 minutes of regulation.

But the US bowed out in extra time, when De Bruyne and Lukaku finally breached Howard to put Belgium on course for a tough 2-1 win.

1) Landon Donovan

There is no one bigger in USMNT history than Landon Donovan.

He stands as his nations all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with five, and featured across three different tournaments.

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Donovan first made his mark in 2002 and was one of the best young players in Japan and South Korea.

While 2006 was disappointing, he provided a massive moment four years later.

In South Africa, Donovan netted a 91st-minute winner against Algeria to save USMNT from group stage elimination.

That was arguably the most famous, and dramatic, moment in US soccer history.

Donovan, who had two loan spells with Everton in 2010 and 2012, scored three goals during that run to the last 16, where his team was beaten by Ghana in extra time.

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