USMNT player – The USMNT closed the 2026 World Cup group stage with a 3-2 loss to Turkey, a match marked by backup-heavy lineups, late defensive slips, and a standout impact from substitute Christian Pulisic. Here are the USA-Turkey player grades for the starters, substitute
The final whistle in the USA-Turkey group stage finale didn’t just end a game. It ended a World Cup run that began with expectation and finished with a 3-2 whimper.
The USMNT lost to Turkey 3-2, and it was far from the scene many fans wanted to see. This squad, however, was almost entirely made up of backup players—so the night carried a double weight: pride for the effort, frustration for the finish.
Still, there are no moral victories at the World Cup. With USMNT player grades in hand, the focus stays on what each player did over the 90 minutes, plus the minutes that came off the bench.
GK Matt Turner — 5
The World Cup veteran made a few solid saves, and none of the goals—including the last one—were really his fault. You’d still want at least one improbable stop in a match like this, the kind that changes the air in the stadium.
CB Auston Trusty — 6
Trusty helped set the tone by scoring the first goal. His defending was decent overall, and his injury was unfortunate given the case he was building to be the first defender off the bench when the USMNT is forced into late-game adjustments.
CB Miles Robinson — 6
Robinson was quietly the best defender on the field on Thursday night. He made a strong case to be the first defender off the bench when the match becomes a tight margin game late in knockout football.
CB Mark McKenzie — 5
McKenzie’s night was a mixed bag—shaky early in defense, then better as the game went on. One positive came through a throw-in that led to a goal. Overall, it was an “okay” performance rather than one that changed careers.
RWB Joe Scally, 5
Scally did his job on defense and added some overlapping runs. A five fit the feel of his night: bang-on average, neither a problem nor a spark.
LM Tim Weah — 3
Weah was the most disappointing starter. He was constantly caught offside, and when he wasn’t, Turkey’s right back dominated him.
CM Sebastian Berhalter — 8
Berhalter looked like the first option off the bench because that’s exactly what his performance demanded. He controlled the middle of the pitch and produced a moment of brilliance—an absolute laser of a goal.
AM Weston McKennie (c) — 6
McKennie captained the squad and looked competent, as usual. The knock was subtle but real: especially early, he deferred to less-experienced teammates, a choice that the night might have punished with a goal.
AM Gio Reyna — 5
Reyna was difficult to spot—hard to remember he was even on the pitch. Nothing major went wrong, but he didn’t contribute much offensively either, leaving plenty of room for the question of whether Aaronson has moved ahead of him in the offensive sub pecking order.
AM Brenden Aaronson — 6
Aaronson carried danger throughout and created chances. But he lacked the end product—no unlocking passes and no dangerous shots on goal. It was good work, just not the kind of killing blow the team needs from that spot.
ST Ricardo Pepi — 4
Pepi made runs to open space for others, and real soccer fans will appreciate that work. But as the lone striker, the standard is higher. In this game, he didn’t look dangerous at all, and his role may suit a two-striker setup where those runs do more.
Grading the subs
LM Christian Pulisic (32+ minutes) — 8
Pulisic returned as captain and immediately looked dangerous. In his first few minutes, he created three or four incredible scoring chances. He didn’t bury one of them. but the rust comes with a reason: he missed the last 135 minutes of World Cup 2026 football due to a calf injury. so the grade still leans toward impact.
AM Alejandro Zndejas (13+ minutes) — 5
Zendejas was okay in his cameo. He didn’t touch the ball much, but when he did, he showed burst and dangerous pace—something that makes him intriguing for what comes next.
RWB Sergino Dest (13+ minutes) — 1
Dest and Alex Freeman (13+ minutes) share the same low mark because the story of their time on the pitch was similar. They both came on, didn’t get much time to affect the game, and then missed a moment that mattered. Can Uzun was left wide open on the far post to set up what became the game-winning goal.
CB Alex Freeman (13+ minutes) — 1
Freeman’s cameo wasn’t long enough to shape the match, but it was long enough to be part of the defensive lapse that helped turn the game.
AM Malik Tillman (4+ minutes) — N/A
Tillman simply wasn’t on the field long enough to earn a meaningful grade.
How did the manager do?
Mauricio Pochettino — 9
Pochettino’s tactics kept being the defining feature of this 2026 World Cup for the USMNT. The formation and flow put players into positions to succeed, and that’s what the grade reflects.
It’s not his fault the defense had two momentary collapses or that the offense couldn’t finish the job in the final third. Still, hindsight will be 20/20 on this group finale. If the USA beats Bosnia Herzegovina in the Round of 32. then Pochettino’s decision to rest his starting 11 will look even smarter—keeping the main guys fresh and healthy for the knockout stage.
The USMNT finished the 2026 World Cup Group stage with a whimper, losing to Turkey 3-2 at the final whistle. While the USA-Turkey match wasn’t what many fans hoped for. it was a valiant effort for a squad that was almost entirely made up of backup players. Not everyone gets a trophy at the World Cup. and for this night. that reality shows up in the numbers—on the scoreline and in the player grades.
USMNT player grades USA vs Turkey 2026 World Cup Mauricio Pochettino Matt Turner Christian Pulisic Berhalter Reyna Aaronson Weah