Alejandro Zendejas, Mark McKenzie, and Miles Robinson each checked a career-defining box on Thursday night. All three made their first FIFA World Cup appearances during the 2026 tournament’s group stage, joining a wave of fresh faces suiting up for the US men’s national team on home soil.
Zendejas entered the match against Türkiye as a substitute in the 76th minute on June 25. McKenzie and Robinson also logged their first World Cup minutes during the group-stage fixtures, cementing their spots on a roster that head coach Gregg Berhalter finalized back in May.
A roster full of firsts
Thirteen players on the 26-man roster are making their World Cup debuts in 2026. Zendejas, who plays his club soccer at Club América in Liga MX, was born in Juárez and raised in El Paso, and earned his first USMNT cap back in 2023. McKenzie, currently playing at Toulouse in France’s Ligue 1, adds European club experience to the defensive ranks. Robinson, representing FC Cincinnati in MLS, rounds out a trio that covers three different competitive ecosystems: Liga MX, a top European league, and Major League Soccer.
The 2026 tournament in context
