Breaking down the U.S. midfield — and how it may operate against the Netherlands

As the U.S. men’s national team built toward the World Cup in Qatar, Coach Gregg Berhalter faced a slew of tough lineup choices. Who starts in central defense? Should Tim Weah or Gio Reyna get the nod on the right flank? Which striker is the answer up top?

The one unit that was never in doubt: his midfield. Barring injury, Berhalter was always going to start Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams — the “MMA” trio — in the U.S. engine room. And it’s not difficult to see the appeal of deploying three budding talents who already have proved themselves in Europe’s top leagues. Musah, who turned 20 on Tuesday, is a regular for Valencia in Spain’s La Liga. McKennie, 24, is locked into the lineup for Italian powerhouse Juventus. Adams, 23, starts for English Premier League side Leeds United and helped Germany’s RB Leipzig advance to the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League semifinals.

Although Berhalter tinkered with his defense and front line in the World Cup group stage as the United States went 1-0-2 to finish second in Group B and earn a round-of-16 clash with the Netherlands on Saturday, he didn’t mess with his midfield personnel. Since Berhalter first turned to the trio for an exhibition win over Panama in 2020, the Americans have gone 6-1-3 when Musah, McKennie and Adams have started together.

The MMA midfield thrives thanks to those players’ complementary skill sets. Adams typically plays as the lone defensive midfielder in Berhalter’s 4-3-3 formation, diligently covering ground, circulating possession and winning duels. Musah is a silky, forward-thinking distributor with the ability to dribble out of tight spaces, set the tempo in possession and press opponents defensively. McKennie offers an athletic threat in the air, plus a knack for making incisive runs into the box and pinging long balls on a dime.

In Qatar, Berhalter has started Musah, McKennie and Adams in all three matches but tweaked their positioning from game to game.

United States 1

Wales 1

In the opening 1-1 draw with Wales, Musah was shaded toward Adams’s left and McKennie toward the right.

Musah

McKennie

Adams

England 0

United States 0

The 0-0 stalemate against England saw the United States play out of a 4-4-2 formation defensively, with Musah and Adams filling central roles and McKennie on the right flank.

Pulisic

McKennie

Musah

Adams

Iran 0

United States 1

The Americans returned to the 4-3-3 for the 1-0 win over Iran, with Musah switching to the right side, McKennie floating toward the left and both players pushing higher than in the previous two games.

McKennie

Musah

Adams

United States 1

Wales 1

In the opening 1-1 draw with Wales, Musah was shaded toward Adams’s left and McKennie toward the right.

Musah

McKennie

Adams

England 0

United States 0

The 0-0 stalemate against England saw the United States play out of a 4-4-2 formation defensively, with Musah and Adams filling central roles and McKennie on the right flank.

Pulisic

McKennie

Musah

Adams

Iran 0

United States 1

The Americans returned to the 4-3-3 for the 1-0 win over Iran, with Musah switching to the right side, McKennie floating toward the left and both players pushing higher than in the previous two games.

McKennie

Musah

Adams

USA 1

Wales 1

England 0

USA 0

Iran 0

USA 1

In the opening 1-1 draw with Wales, Musah was shaded toward Adams’s left and McKennie toward the right.

The 0-0 stalemate against England saw the United States play out of a 4-4-2 formation defensively, with Musah and Adams filling central roles and McKennie on the right flank.

The Americans returned to the 4-3-3 for the 1-0 win over Iran, with Musah switching to the right side, McKennie floating toward the left and both players pushing higher than in the previous two games.

McKennie

Pulisic

McKennie

Musah

Musah

McKennie

Adams

Adams

Musah

Adams

960

United States 1

Wales 1

England 0

United States 0

Iran 0

United States 1

The 0-0 stalemate against England saw the United States play out of a 4-4-2 formation defensively, with Musah and Adams filling central roles and McKennie on the right flank.

The Americans returned to the 4-3-3 for the 1-0 win over Iran, with Musah switching to the right side, McKennie floating toward the left and both players pushing higher than in the previous two games.

In the opening 1-1 draw with Wales, Musah was shaded toward Adams’s left and McKennie toward the right.

McKennie

Musah

Pulisic

McKennie

Musah

McKennie

Adams

Musah

Adams

Adams

All three players were immense against Iran, hitting their line-breaking passes — balls that unlock the opposition by bypassing their forward, midfield or defensive units — at an impressive 86 percent clip. Adams cleaned up in the middle, leading all players with eight miles covered and 12 loose balls collected. Musah paced the Americans with eight tackles won and 11 ball progressions (plays on which he pushed the ball forward). Although McKennie had fewer touches than those two, he orchestrated the U.S. goal by serving a pinpoint through ball to right back Sergiño Dest, whose centering header was knocked in by star Christian Pulisic. Not to be left out, Adams and Musah both played multiple balls during the 11-pass buildup to that 38th-minute strike.

Iran 0

United States 1

Pass

Carry

Christian Pulisic, 38’

Turner

3

2

Adams

Dest

1

Musah

6

5

Musah

4

Weah

Adams

McKennie

10

9

7

Adams

8

Robinson

Dest

11

Pulisic

Research and graphic by Artur Galocha/The Washington Post

Iran 0

United States 1

Pass

Carry

Christian Pulisic, 38’

Robinson

8

Adams

9

Adams

7

McKennie

10

Adams

Pulisic

2

Musah

3

Turner

1

Dest

11

Weah

4

Dest

6

Musah

5

Research and graphic by Artur Galocha/The Washington Post

Iran 0

United States 1

Christian Pulisic, 38’

Pass

Carry

8

Robinson

9

Adams

7

Adams

10

McKennie

Adams

Pulisic

2

3

Musah

Turner

1

11

Dest

4

Weah

Dest

6

5

Musah

Research and graphic by Artur Galocha/The Washington Post

The Netherlands, of course, will pose a stiffer test than Iran. The Dutch were efficient if unspectacular while winning a weak Group A with a 2-0-1 record. Playing out of a 3-4-1-2 formation, Louis van Gaal’s team tends to press high and attack vertically rather than piece together patient, side-to-side passing sequences. The U.S. midfield’s primary defensive task will be cutting off deep-lying playmaker Frenkie de Jong’s options and denying service to attacking catalyst Cody Gakpo, the 23-year-old who netted three goals in the group stage. On the ball, look for McKennie and Musah to overload the flanks and connect with wingers Pulisic and Weah since the Dutch formation tends to leave the wide areas exposed. (If Pulisic is limited by the pelvic contusion he suffered Tuesday, expect Brenden Aaronson or Reyna in his place.)

Coach

Louis

van Gaal

Netherlands

projected lineup

D. Blind

N. Aké

S. Bergwijn

F. de Jong

V. van Dijk

C. Gakpo

A. Noppert

T. Koopmeiners

M. Depaya

J. Timber

D. Dumfries

Netherlands

projected lineup

Coach

Louis van Gaal

D. Blind

N. Aké

S. Bergwijn

F. de Jong

V. van Dijk

C. Gakpo

A. Noppert

T. Koopmeiners

M. Depay

J. Timber

D. Dumfries

Netherlands projected lineup

D. Blind

N. Aké

S. Bergwijn

F. de Jong

V. van Dijk

C. Gakpo

A. Noppert

T. Koopmeiners

M. Depay

J. Timber

D. Dumfries

Coach

Louis van Gaal

71 years old

Whatever the outcome Saturday, this should only be the beginning for Musah, McKennie and Adams. Projecting the state of the U.S. player pool years down the line is something of a fool’s errand, but there’s no reason to think they can’t start together at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. So while a towering talent such as Pulisic can lift the U.S. team to new heights, it could very well be the MMA midfield that gives the Americans’ their foundation for years to come.

Graphics and illustrations by Artur Galocha.