The European season is in the books. With the Premier League’s chaotic final day, EFL Championship playoff and several other leagues wrapping up this week, the focus has completely turned towards the 2026 World Cup for teams across the world. While some Nordic leagues, the Canadian Premier League and some South American leagues will continue to play through the World Cup, seasons have now primarily paused worldwide until MLS kicks things off on July 16, before the July 19 World Cup final. With those campaigns all wrapped, it’s time to look back, before looking forward. Here, Sports Illustrated picks out the top five USMNT players from the 2025–26 European season, all of whom are now bound for the 2026 World Cup squad if a recent leak is to be believed. 5. Auston Trusty (Celtic) Auston Trusty helped Celtic complete a massive comeback in the Scottish Premier League. | Ross Parker/SNS Group/Getty ImagesAuston Trusty did the improbable with Celtic this season, as crazy as Celtic winning yet another Scottish Premier League title can be. Trailing Hearts for most of the campaign and heading into the final matchday, Trusty anchored a Celtic resurgence from the back, helping his side to a final-day title and a 3–1 win over a Hearts side that looked to break up the Rangers and Celtic spell of domination in the Scottish top flight. While Trusty might not take a starting role with the USMNT this summer, his 26 league appearances with Celtic were among the best by any U.S. talents this season, and at 27 years old, there’s still a possibility of a strong tournament pushing him on to a higher level, or MLS in the near future. After helping Celtic to a title on the final day of the domestic league campaign, he also steered the side to the Scottish FA Cup in the final match of the season, outright, playing all 90 minutes in a 3–1 win over Dunfermline Athletic. With two trophy lifts to practice, he’ll be used to celebrating—as much as a USMNT World Cup win is improbable. 4. Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven)