Donovan, Pulisic, and the USMNT World Cup goals that still hit hard

The goals that define your World Cup

The Guardian has ranked the greatest USMNT World Cup goals, and it's a perfect 10-day warmup for what's coming. Landon Donovan's stoppage-time winner against Algeria in 2010 sits at No. 1 – the moment that sent a nation stumbling out of offices and bars in pure disbelief (3). Christian Pulisic's painful finish against Iran in 2022, where he sacrificed his body and spent halftime at the hospital, lands on the list as a gut-check reminder of what this shirt demands (3). The ranking also reaches back to Joe Gaetjens' header that stunned England in 1950 and Aldo "Buff" Donelli's goal in 1934 – the first World Cup goal the US ever scored (3). These aren't just highlights. They're your history, and the next chapter starts in 10 days.

A knockout win is finally in the forecast

CBS Sports has run a full 2026 World Cup simulation, and the prediction lands where you need it to: the USMNT finally wins a knockout game, something the program hasn't done since 2002 (2). The simulator sees the US advancing out of the group and snapping a 24-year drought in the first knockout round. That's the bare minimum for a home World Cup, and the prediction at least has the squad clearing it.

Where the betting value sits

Soccer betting analyst Jon 'Buckets' Eimer has locked in his top USMNT prop bets for the tournament, and the picks are live at CBS Sports (1). With the World Cup on home soil, the prop market on American players is deeper than it's ever been – if you're looking for an angle, Eimer's track record is the one to track.