The USMNT will take the field in June wearing numbers that carry weight. Christian Pulisic keeps the 10, Weston McKennie the 8, and Matt Turner the 1—a trio of assignments that were never really in doubt.
The Numbers That Matter
Mauricio Pochettino's squad now knows what they'll wear in Group D against Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye. Pulisic inherited the No. 10 in the fall of 2016 at just 17 years old—a gift from then-manager Jürgen Klinsmann who saw the future clearly. The number once belonged to Landon Donovan, still the USMNT's co-leading goalscorer.
The list looks clean on paper; the hard part is everything that happens after it is printed.
McKennie took the No. 8 in the 2018–19 season at 19. He inherited it from Clint Dempsey, another name etched in the team's history books. Turner has worn the No. 1 since the 2020–21 campaign, including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar where he started every match between the posts.
Observations
Turner retains the starter's number despite likely entering the tournament as Matt Freese's backup—the jersey clearly means more to him than his position on the depth chart.
This is the first World Cup on home soil in over 30 years, coinciding with America's 250th birthday summer. The red-and-white home kit and dark blue away jersey with subtle stars will carry both symbolism and expectation.
What's Next
The USMNT plays Germany—ranked 10th globally—on Saturday in Chicago. The match is the final tune-up before World Cup kickoff. The US is ranked 16th and hasn't advanced past the quarterfinals in the modern era. That ceiling is the thing this group is trying to break.