"For the past two FIFA World Cup cycles, the starting striker spot for the U.S. men's national team has been a seemingly unsolvable puzzle, with none of the candidates able to grab a firm hold of the spot. It wasn't always this way. Eric Wynalda and Brian McBride led the U.S. line during the 1990s and 2000s. Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey carried the flag through the 2014 World Cup and slightly beyond, although it's worth noting that Dempsey spent a significant chunk of his international career in a midfield role. The same was true for Landon Donovan."
"The 2022 World Cup cycle never did reveal a forward who could deliver on a consistent basis. Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Pefok, Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent and Gyasi Zardes were all given starts during World Cup qualifying. For a time, it looked like Pepi would emerge, but he faded toward the latter part of the cycle -- mostly due to a lack of playing time at club level -- and was beaten to the roster selection tape by Haji Wright. An injury to Sargent at the World Cup, combined with ineffectiveness by Ferreira and Wright, meant that the U.S. didn't get as much out of the position in Qatar as they would have hoped."
The U.S. men's national team has lacked a settled starting central striker across the past two World Cup cycles. Historical forwards such as Eric Wynalda, Brian McBride, Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan previously provided stability, though some players operated in midfield roles. The 2022 cycle saw multiple candidates without consistent production; Ricardo Pepi declined late in the cycle due to limited club minutes, and Haji Wright made the roster amid injuries and ineffectiveness. The current cycle includes Pepi, Josh Sargent, Haji Wright, Folarin Balogun and Patrick Agyemang, with Balogun showing promise but not yet securing the starting role ahead of October friendlies with Ecuador and Australia.
Read at ESPN.com
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