Jozy Altidore isn't coming to the 2026 World Cup as a cheerleader. The former USMNT striker — 115 caps, 42 goals, two World Cup appearances — joins Telemundo's coverage this summer as an analyst, and he's already got opinions worth hearing.
His sharpest take? The conversation around Christian Pulisic is the wrong one. "I'm not worried about Christian if I'm honest," Altidore said. "I'm worried about who's going to step up and help Christian." In a squad that has leaned heavily on its one genuine superstar for years, that's the real question going into a home tournament.
Three strikers, one starting spot
With Mauricio Pochettino naming his 26-man squad, the striker picture is clearer — but not settled. Folarin Balogun is the presumptive starter, and Altidore sees why. "I like how he reminds me of myself a bit," he said, pointing to Balogun's range: running in behind, one-touch finishing, the occasional cheeky chip. Versatility at nine is underrated, and Balogun has it.
Ricardo Pepi is different — "a little bit more grafty, rough around the edges" but relentless in the press and clinical when chances arrive. Haji Wright sits somewhere between the two. Altidore's view is that all three will contribute, with Balogun tiring defenses and Pepi and Wright capitalizing on the spaces that follow. That's the plan on paper. Whether Pochettino executes it cleanly is another matter.
From a betting standpoint, Balogun as first scorer in the group stage looks like a logical market if he starts, but the depth at the position means the USMNT won't be devastated if he has an off night. That's a luxury this squad hasn't always had.
Tyler Adams might be the real key
The player Altidore keeps returning to isn't a forward or even Pulisic — it's Tyler Adams. "If he can be fit for the entire tournament, that's a player we don't have too many of," he said. "I think that sets us apart." Adams has spent the last 18 months fighting injuries, and the USMNT's midfield has looked measurably worse without him. His availability isn't guaranteed. His importance is.
Weston McKennie gets a mention too, as someone Altidore sees as a genuine pillar rather than a name people casually drop. The combination of Adams screening and McKennie driving forward — if both are fit — gives the U.S. a midfield with real teeth. Without one of them, the structure gets shaky, and Pulisic ends up isolated.
On the goalkeeper question, Altidore drew an interesting parallel: "Argentina would not have won the World Cup without their goalkeeper being as spectacular as he was." It's a point that often gets lost in the hype around attackers. Whoever starts in goal for the U.S. needs to be ready to win games, not just avoid losing them.
Altidore joins Telemundo specifically because of the Spanish-speaking audience — a deliberate choice, he says, and one he's genuinely excited about. For a player who grew up watching his father's VHS recordings of World Cups, the symmetry isn't lost on him: "There's going to be a birth of thousands of footballers with a dream, and that only happens because they're going to watch their heroes this summer."
Whether the USMNT gives those kids enough to dream about is still very much an open question.
