A number of difficult roster decisions await Mauricio Pochettino as his May 26 reveal of the U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup squad gets ever closer, and this weekend in MLS, a couple of those perceived to be on the roster bubble made their cases stronger.
First, Real Salt Lake attacker Diego Luna delivered his best performance of the season in a 4-2 win over San Diego FC. He scored and added an assist – as well as a secondary assist – in what head coach Pablo Mastroeni called his team’s “best half of football” in his time as head coach.
Luna’s goal was off a mistake from San Diego’s goalkeeper trying to play out of the back, but the overall performance was strong beyond that. The 22-year-old missed RSL’s first three matches at the beginning of the season due to a knee injury and wasn’t called up to Pochettino’s squad in March as a result after appearing in 17 of the 18 USMNT matches in 2025. There could be World Cup hope for him yet, though.
Gio Reyna has played only 23 Bundesliga minutes since January 17, 18 of which were this weekend. He was called into the March squad, as was Brenden Aaronson, who has been excellent for Leeds United since the international break and had another assist in helping the club in its quest to stave off relegation. Club América star Alejandro Zendejas, who was at the heart of a heated brawl with Toluca Saturday night, is another on the bubble in that position, though he was omitted last month.
(Luna’s teammate and RSL rising talent Zavier Gozo, who just turned 19 a month ago, continued his sizzling run of form with an assist. The winger-turned-wingback could fit very well in a wide right role, but he hasn’t been called into a senior camp before, and Pochettino would be rolling the dice on a player he’s never coached if selecting him in his final roster.)
Diego Luna, right, leads the celebrations for RSL vs. San Diego FC (Alex Goodlett / Getty Images)
Another MLSer with a big performance was midfielder Cristian Roldan. The Seattle Sounders stalwart scored twice — both on the end of corner kicks — in Seattle’s 4-1 win over St. Louis. Roldan remains a lightning rod among fans, especially the subset that appears to discount the national team credentials of anyone who plays in MLS. Yet Pochettino, whose reputation was built at Europe’s highest level and who has called Roldan his “perfect player,” has turned to him for each of the U.S.’s last eight matches.
Roldan was on the 2022 World Cup squad but didn’t appear in a game in Qatar. For all the positives he brings off the field – his character, leadership and professionalism are well-documented – don’t overlook the value he adds on the field. The midfielder works tirelessly, presses very well and connects play in possession. All of those qualities have been on display early in the Sounders’ season.
Cristian hive rise up 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/jm4QBDEfhR
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) April 19, 2026
Elsewhere in MLS – and at a vulnerable position for the U.S. – Charlotte FC center back Tim Ream left his game at NYCFC at halftime with a groin injury, though it does not appear to be a long-term issue. Head coach Dean Smith immediately said the American is “questionable” for the team’s midweek match Wednesday in Orlando. Smith added he didn’t want to take any risks with Ream, who could well be Pochettino’s World Cup captain.
Fellow center back Miles Robinson, who missed the March friendlies with a groin injury of his own, was substituted in the 64th minute of FC Cincinnati’s 3-3 draw with the Chicago Fire in what head coach Pat Noonan called a “minutes watch.”
What’s behind the Quakes’ resurgence?
The San Jose Earthquakes are for real. A dominant 4-1 win Sunday night on the road against an LAFC team that had not lost with its first-choice lineup yet this season, will make the rest of the league take notice.
In fact, San Jose has now beaten last season’s three best Western Conference teams (Vancouver Whitecaps, San Diego FC and LAFC) and sits tied atop the Supporters’ Shield standings with Vancouver.
A boost in year two under head coach Bruce Arena, who previously won Shields in his second full season with D.C. United, the LA Galaxy and New England Revolution, was expected, but this acceleration is at a breakneck pace. Regardless of whether the Quakes lift the Shield, or even stay in the race all season, the foundation on which this team is built and the patterns are real.
So how have they done it? Defending from the front has alleviated defensive pressure and allowed for a free-flowing attack.
Two years ago, San Jose conceded more goals than any team in a single MLS season (78). Arena took over last winter and improved that number to 63 – which is still quite poor. He and his staff were intent on changing that this year, and their biggest alterations came up top.
Moving on from forwards Josef Martinez and Chicho Arango started the overhaul (Cristian Espinoza, who now stars for Nashville, also departed, though he would have fit beautifully in this group). The club landed German forward Timo Werner, plus elevated the likes of Niko Tsakiris, Preston Judd and Ousenni Bouda to more minutes, allowing the team to defend from the front against the ball. The defensive pieces haven’t changed in a major way, just some natural progression from young players. The attackers did, making it a much more difficult team to play through.
The lack of top-end talent may lower the team’s ceiling – though Werner scored his first goal and added an assist Sunday in his most impactful performance yet – but the Quakes have the salary cap flexibility to make high-leverage additions in the summer should they choose.
Timo Werner opens his MLS account! 💥 pic.twitter.com/5N3zIe8LED
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 20, 2026
First MLS goal ✅
Timo Werner reflects on a big @SJEarthquakes win at LAFC. pic.twitter.com/w9e4X99bkS
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 20, 2026
This is the best start in club history. PayPal Stadium has not hosted a playoff game since it opened in 2015. This should be the year that changes.
Post-Mascherano Miami responds
The first game of the Guillermo Hoyos era for Inter Miami was anything but smooth, but a 3-2 win in front of a massive Colorado crowd was all that matters for this weekend. It was actually some of the last words Javier Mascherano said publicly as head coach that resonated: “What matters here is to win,” Mascherano said after a 2-2 draw with Red Bull New York on April 11. “There’s no other option.”
Mascherano departed the club a few days later due to “personal reasons,” while The Athletic reported that much stemmed from an argument after the game.
As the club still deals with the fallout from his departure, pressure and expectations remain as high as ever.
In front of the second-largest crowd in MLS history (75,824; played at the Denver Broncos’ Empower Field), it still took another moment of Lionel Messi magic to secure the win, as Colorado dictated the game for good (controlling the ball and creating chances) and bad (the architects of their own downfall).
MESSI MAGIC AT MILE HIGH! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/cJaO56dDhI
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 18, 2026
The tactics under Hoyos weren’t noticeably different, unless the team purposefully ceded Colorado possession (which didn’t appear to be the case and would be extremely surprising if that was the aim given the club’s ethos since Messi arrived). Miami’s 39% possession was the lowest in a regular season game Messi has played, but three points – including another goal from maligned winter signing Germán Berterame – is as good of a response as Miami could’ve produced.
Two touching moments
At the end of Seattle’s win over St. Louis, midfielder Eduard Löwen came on. It was his first appearance of the season following the tragic death of his wife, Ilona, who had battled brain cancer the last two years and passed away in March.
And a couple minutes into his first match without her, Lowen found the back of the net. A beautiful moment.
🦁🫶#AllForCITY x @EdwardJones pic.twitter.com/ghLPBX7TfX
— St Louis CITY SC (@stlCITYsc) April 19, 2026
Another heartwarming moment came for Nashville SC. Former No. 2 overall SuperDraft selection Shak Mohammed scored his first MLS goal of his career – and it wasn’t the goal, but the celebration that stole hearts.
The goal was set up by an unselfish pass by star Hany Mukhtar. Mohammed immediately turned back to Mukhtar saying “thank you bro!”
Shak Mohammed scores his first MLS goal… immediately shows deep gratitude for an unselfish assist by Hany Mukhtar. Awesome scenes. pic.twitter.com/X8Odd00rEX
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) April 19, 2026
“Ever since I stepped foot in Nashville, he’s been a brother figure for me, an older brother who will always put his hand around my shoulder,” Mohammed said after the game. “He’s been unbelievable to me in many ways that I cannot even explain now.”
United through their despair
Spare a thought for D.C. United’s René Weiler and Atlanta United’s Tata Martino this weekend. Both clubs are struggling mightily and each coach seems to be at a loss.
“Not even in my worst nightmares did I think we would have the start that we’ve had so far,” Martino admitted after Atlanta United’s 2-0 loss to Nashville, which leaves the club tied for worst in the league with just four points after eight matches.
“I feel anger, frustration … this is something that I’ve never gone through in my career,” Martino said.
D.C. is faring a bit better overall in league play with eight points, but have fallen into a terrible run of form. The club has not scored in its last four MLS matches all while being eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup by third-tier side One Knoxville last Wednesday.
Weiler aired some frustration before the club’s 0-0 draw with the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
“Some players, they don’t have the quality, mentally, how they should have it on this level,” Weiler said in a prematch press conference. “It’s not fun. I have to perform. I have to achieve. The targets are simple. We have to win games.”
D.C. United made 11 signings this winter, including two designated players, while 13 players departed. Weiler had a strong voice in recruitment. So far, there’s little to show for it.
Parting thought: Evander endorses Neymar
After The Athletic reported FC Cincinnati entered preliminary discussions with Neymar’s camp, it seems as if the club’s current Brazilian star is on board with the possibility.
After helping orchestrate a comeback 3-3 draw this weekend, Evander flashed Neymar’s signature celebration.
Interesting choices of celebrations this week from FC Cincinnati’s Brazilian star Evander 👀 https://t.co/SmwuVJsWMM pic.twitter.com/j3PYKs0cjl
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) April 19, 2026
Evander did the same in training this week, too. He was asked by Queen City Press’s Laurel Pfahler about the potential of Neymar joining the club.
“He is one of my idols, (it) would be nice,” he said.