Coincidentally, that 1930 team was the last one to advance past the quarterfinals of the World Cup, and if America wants to reach those heights again, they will need to rely on more than just their marquee players to get there.Team USA celebrates a goal vs.Paraguay in a 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
(Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)Guys like Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun are well known to most soccer fans, but a name that hasn't been as talked about until recently has been midfielder Malik Tillman.The 24-year-old has plenty of big-game experience, playing in top-flight European leagues for PSV and Bayer Leverkusen, but Tillman has kicked his play into another gear during the first two games of the USMNT's 2026 World Cup journey.Tillman had a brilliant assist against Paraguay in the United States' 4-1 rout that signified their arrival as a force to be reckoned with in this year's tournament, but it goes beyond the stat sheet.United States forward Malik Tillman reacts after scoring a goal during the first half of a group stage match at the 2025 Gold Cup at PayPal Park.(Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)The German-American sensation was all over the field for both group stage games, showing off flashy back-heel passes and displaying a confidence well beyond his years.It's not a stretch to say Tillman has been the best player on the USMNT, and you could make the argument that he's the best player of the tournament so far.USA WORLD CUP TEAM CLINCHES SPOT IN KNOCKOUT STAGE AFTER ANOTHER HISTORIC PERFORMANCE VS AUSTRALIAThat's not just hot air and American "homerism" speaking — the advanced analytics back it up.According to Gradient Sports, Tillman has graded out as the highest-rated player of the entire group stage through two games.If you thought Tillman flashed on your screen as much or more than anyone during America's games against Paraguay and Australia, your eyes didn't deceive you.USA CLINCHES FIRST PLACE IN WORLD CUP GROUP AFTE...