'Heir apparent' to 'Prizefighter': Meet the U.S. World Cup attacking midfielders

Malik Tillman: The Leading Man

Nuremberg, Germany | Age: 24 | Team: Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)

National team appearances: 28 | Known for: Uncommon grace

Dual national Tillman  represented Germany and the United States as a youth before declaring for the USMNT in 2022. He spent his childhood in Germany surrounded by Americans, including Alabama native Chris Richards, who trained with him at Bayern Munich’s youth academy.

“From the outside, he’s very quiet. But then once you get to know him, he’s a teddy bear,” Richards said of Tillman, per Fox Sports. “When I first met him, he didn’t speak any English, and now he’s playing for the national team. It’s really amazing to see him develop as a player and a person.

“He’s a baller.”

Tillman is tall (6-foot-2), skillful, thoughtful and moves with unbelievable grace. He is introverted and rarely lifts his voice above a whisper. When you play like he does, a whisper is all you need.

Tim Weah: The Global Citizen

Brooklyn, New York | Age: 26 | Team: Olympique Marseille (France)

National team appearances: 49 | Known for: Building his own legacy

Weah's father George was the first African player to win the Ballon D’Or and stands in the record books as one of the greatest strikers in the history of the sport.

Tim Weah was raised in the United States, but his father remained so popular (and so deeply involved) in his native Liberia that he served as the nation’s president from 2018-2024. If you hear Tim Weah speaking eloquently about political issues — and you probably will — he got that skill from dad. 

The younger Weah has always faced a difficult challenge of living up to his father’s impossible standard while building an authentic career of his own. He has done a brilliant job of bridging the two. 

Weah is a flexible attacking player who is equally comfortable as a wingback, winger or a striker. He’s one of just three players on this USMNT squad to have a World Cup goal. 

Alejandro Zendejas: The America American

El Paso, Texas | Age: 28 | Team: Club America (Mexico) 

National team appearances: 13 | Known for: Left-footed lightning

Mexico City-based Zendejas was a surprise selection, but he’s a fascinating — and necessary — addition. The 28-year-old is in top form with Mexico’s Club America and brings needed speed and creativity to the USMNT’s attack.

Club America is a pressure cooker, one of the most popular teams in Mexico, regularly drawing 60,000+ fans to league matches. The team plays in a white-hot spotlight, but Zendejas has emerged as America’s strongest player amid all that chaos and expectation.

Zendejas is the only attacker for the USMNT who predominantly uses his left foot. That matters; a player’s dominant foot heavily informs his shooting and passing range, and having a mix of right- and left-footed specialists opens up new lanes for ball movement.

Brenden Aaronson: The Prizefighter

Medford, New Jersey | Age: 25 | Team: Leeds United (England)

National team appearances: 57 | Known for: Beast mode

Some soccer players dazzle you with their skills — some floor you with their longevity like Tim Ream. And some just beat you over the head with their absolute refusal to give up under any circumstances. That’s Aaronson, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound dynamo who often flips into "beast mode." His approach to soccer is like a prizefighter.

Aaronson’s physical profile can sometimes limit what he can give. He runs his body into the ground in every game, regardless of the score, and never cowers under pressure.

“Looking back in the mirror after the game, when you see how exhausted I am coming off the pitch, [that] makes you feel 10 times better about yourself,” Aaronson said, per The Athletic.