January 7, 2026, stands out as a landmark date in American soccer, not just for the future of the U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) but also for the remarkable achievements of West Virginia University’s Taylor White. While the nation’s eyes are trained on the USMNT’s evolving journey toward the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups, the women’s game continues to make headlines with White’s professional leap to Racing Louisville FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Both stories, though separated by gender and immediate context, are united by a theme: American soccer’s relentless pursuit of growth, legacy, and international respect.
Let’s start with Taylor White, the dynamic forward out of Cincinnati, Ohio, who has just become the 45th professional Mountaineer in West Virginia University history. Racing Louisville FC’s official announcement marks her as the first WVU women’s soccer player to sign a pro contract following the 2025 season—a testament to both her individual brilliance and the program’s enduring pipeline to the pros.
White’s senior campaign was nothing short of spectacular. She capped it all off with a prestigious nod to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team in December 2025. Earlier in the year, she had already earned selections to the All-Big 12 First Team and the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region Team, cementing her as one of the nation’s premier collegiate attackers. Her 2025 stat line? Ten goals, ten assists, and a total of thirty points—numbers that not only led the Mountaineers but also tied her for fourth in single-season assists in school history. And if you’re a fan of clutch performances, White’s four game-winning goals and three braces (the most by any WVU player since 2012) speak volumes about her knack for rising to the moment.
Across her collegiate career, White amassed 26 goals, 17 assists, and 69 points, all while logging an impressive 4,164 minutes on the pitch. She’s no stranger to recognition, either. In 2024, she was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and collected a slew of Big 12 Player of the Week and WVU Student-Athlete of the Week honors. Off the field, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sports and exercise psychology in December 2025—a fitting academic coda to her athletic exploits.
White’s transition to the NWSL is a proud moment for West Virginia University, whose women’s soccer program continues to produce top-tier talent. She follows a long line of Mountaineers who have turned pro, but her journey is uniquely her own, marked by perseverance, leadership, and a flair for the dramatic when it mattered most. As Racing Louisville FC welcomes her to the professional ranks, all eyes will be on how her collegiate dominance translates to the top level of the women’s game.
Meanwhile, on the men’s side, the Guardian’s January 7, 2026, feature delves deep into the USMNT’s preparations for the 2026 World Cup—an event that carries enormous weight, as the United States is set to co-host the tournament. Yet, under the stewardship of Mauricio Pochettino, the focus isn’t just on the here and now. Instead, Pochettino is laying the groundwork for sustained success, eyeing both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. “It’s not only to think in 2026, it’s to think after … I think it’s our responsibility to create some legacy, or to try to create some core of players that behave in the same way and feel in the same way, respect the values that we were talking about, culture and everything,” Pochettino explained. “And after 2026, another period of four years, maybe to have this core of players that can arrive in the next [World Cup] in 2030 in a different situation.”
That legacy-building approach is echoed by former USMNT stars and coaches. Landon Donovan, for instance, is bullish about the team’s prospects for 2030. “There’s no reason why the core group of guys, led by Christian [Pulisic], at 30, 31 – absolutely you can still play and compete in a World Cup [in 2030],” Donovan told the Guardian. The data supports his optimism: Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie will both be 31 when the 2030 World Cup kicks off, with other key contributors like Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, and Tim Weah not far behind. Gio Reyna, Folarin Balogun, and Tanner Tessmann are expected to be in their prime, while emerging talents such as Noahkai Banks (a regular Bundesliga starter at just 19) and U-17 World Cup standouts Cavan Sullivan and Mathis Albert promise to inject fresh energy into the squad.
Former USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter weighed in on the importance of both team and individual progression. “The two things that need to be happening at the same time are team development and individual development, and that’s going to be the determining factor to see if this group can take it to 2030,” he said. “So individuals need to continue to progress at a high rate, and if they do that, there’s enough to say, ‘OK, this will be the third World Cup for this group.’ There’s enough there that you can justifiably say that they could. But that needs to happen.”
Antonee Robinson, reflecting on the lessons learned from Qatar, highlighted the value of experience in high-stakes tournaments. “Looking back [at Qatar] and seeing how we played and stuff, we were really competitive, we dueled a lot, but we were still a really young team,” Robinson said. “And there’s little things in games where it could be taking a bit of extra time to do a set piece or getting your breath back, little things like that. Managing the game that comes with experience that four years on from the last tournament, is going to be huge to make sure that’s implemented into the game and we take the front foot on that.”
The USMNT’s future isn’t without uncertainty, though. Weston McKennie, a mainstay in midfield, hit 200 appearances for Juventus and faces contract questions as his deal expires in June. Rumors swirl about a potential move to MLS, with FC Cincinnati having previously shown interest. Charlie Davies, another USMNT alum, captured the dilemma many American stars face as they weigh European rigor against the growing appeal of MLS. “Like Weston McKennie, every year, ‘He’s going to be sold, he’s going to not play,’ and he proves himself. But at what point do you go, ‘I’ve had enough of this, man. I’ve proved myself year after year for 10 years.’ And he continues to do it, which is so impressive.” Davies added, “I think if they want, they could have a big say in that one [in 2030].”
As the USMNT gears up for a pivotal summer and the women’s game celebrates another pro milestone, American soccer finds itself at a crossroads—brimming with promise, hungry for legacy, and ready to take on the world, one tournament at a time.
