The holiday season sees players on the U.S. men's national team in wildly different parts of their respective campaigns. The halfway mark of the European club season has just about arrived. Some competitions -- like the Premier League -- power through the festive period, while others are about to take a short break. Meanwhile, Major League Soccer has gone into hibernation, with Liga MX about to conclude its Apertura campaign.

There is no rest, however, for the players, especially with a certain AC Milan attacker showing not even the flu can slow him down.

Throughout the season, ESPN will be monitoring the progress of the player pool, delivering insights into those whose form or fitness has made them particularly intriguing. We call it the USMNT's countdown to the 2026 World Cup

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