With the 2026 North America World Cup on the horizon, one of the United States’ key priorities is depth and variety in central midfield.
The national team coached by Mauricio Pochettino has several primary options in that area, including Tyler Adams of Bournemouth, Weston McKennie of Juventus, Tanner Tessmann of Olympique Lyon, Johnny Cardoso of Atlético Madrid, Cristian Roldan of Seattle Sounders, and Aidan Morris of Middlesbrough.
With Adams recovering from a medial collateral ligament tear in his knee and McKennie frequently deployed as a wingback or right-sided midfielder in Italy, the picture could narrow to Tessmann and Cardoso as the leading candidates for a double pivot. Roldan and Morris, however, remain close behind, making their case from MLS and the Championship.
The Johnny Cardoso case
For Cardoso, the reports out of Spain have been encouraging. After a first half of the season disrupted by an ankle injury and lingering knee issues, Atlético’s No. 5 has opened 2026 with increased minutes and a growing role in midfield. So far, Cardoso has appeared in all four matches played by Diego Simeone’s side.
Against Real Sociedad, a 1–1 draw that marked Atlético’s first game of the year, the American midfielder came on as a substitute for Alex Baena and delivered a strong 30-minute performance. He followed that with another positive cameo in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Real Madrid, replacing Koke and again impressing over half an hour despite the 2–1 defeat.
Cardoso then earned a start in the Copa del Rey round of 16 away to Deportivo La Coruña, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win. His performance was second only to Antoine Griezmann, who decided the match with a superb free kick. Finally, when Atlético returned to LaLiga action, Cardoso again started and played a solid role in a 1–0 victory over Deportivo Alavés.
Across these appearances, the United States pivot has showcased his core strengths: defensive work rate, ball recovery, smart distribution, and the confidence to switch play with longer passes. He is becoming an important piece for Simeone, but his growing form could matter even more for Pochettino as the USMNT build toward the 2026 World Cup.