Two of the U.S. men's national team's most vital players are currently heading in opposite directions, creating a tale of contrasting fortunes as the World Cup approaches.

On one end of the spectrum, Folarin Balogun continues to shine for Monaco, reaching a career high for goals from open play over the weekend. The 24-year-old striker made it nine goals in 10 league matches with a stunning finish to the far post in Monaco's 2-1 comeback win over Metz. That strike brought his Ligue 1 total to 13 for the season, and his overall tally to 19—just three shy of the 22 he produced during his breakout loan spell with Reims in 2022-23. What's particularly impressive is that 16 of his 19 goals this season have come from open play, surpassing the 15 he managed from open play during that Reims campaign, when seven came from penalties.

On the other side of the spectrum, Christian Pulisic is enduring a difficult spell. The AC Milan winger has now gone 17 straight games without a goal for the Rossoneri, setting a career-worst mark that surpasses his 16-game drought at Chelsea during the 2022-23 season. Pulisic was dropped to the bench on Sunday as a 10-man Milan fell 2-0 to Sassuolo, and despite playing the final half-hour, he couldn't end his slump. With the calendar turning to May, the 27-year-old still hasn't scored in 2026 for club or country—his last USMNT goal came in 2024. As the World Cup looms, the captain will need to rediscover his form quickly.

There was brighter news from the Netherlands, where PSV's 2-2 draw at Ajax provided a double dose of encouragement for USMNT fans. Ricardo Pepi continued his red-hot form by scoring the opener in the very first minute, making it four goals in three matches for the Texas-born striker. Even more significantly, Sergiño Dest made his return from injury, coming off the bench for the final half-hour to get valuable minutes under his belt ahead of the summer's international action.