A few months ago, Brenden Aaronson’s World Cup hopes looked shaky at best.
A few months ago, Brenden Aaronson’s World Cup hopes looked shaky at best. Now, he’s making it impossible to ignore him.
The 25-year-old delivered his strongest performance of the season on Wednesday night, scoring twice in Leeds United’s chaotic 4–3 loss to Newcastle at St. James’ Park. The result stung, but Aaronson’s display didn’t. It confirmed a trend that’s been building quietly over the last month.
Aaronson now has three goals and one assist in his last four Premier League matches, including the opener in a draw against Manchester United last week. For a player once drifting on the fringes at Elland Road, that kind of production changes the conversation quickly.
Much of Aaronson’s resurgence can be traced back to manager Daniel Farke’s recent tactical adjustments. With Ethan Ampadu returning from suspension, Aaronson was pushed into a more advanced central role. Closer to goal, freer to press, and more involved in final actions.
The results have been immediate.
Against Newcastle, Aaronson opened the scoring with a confident strike from outside the box, punishing a defensive lapse and rifling his effort into the bottom corner. He wasn’t done. With Leeds clinging to a 2–2 draw late, he found space again, skipped past his marker, and rolled home what looked like a potential winner.
Even with Leeds eventually conceding twice late, including a controversial penalty off Aaronson’s arm, the American was the standout performer. A performance that earned him a Premier League Player of the Matchweek nomination.
Beyond the goals, the underlying performance mattered just as much. Aaronson was relentless. He led Leeds in duels, pressed aggressively, completed dribbles, and constantly kept attacks alive. It was the full Aaronson package – energy, intelligence, and now, end product.
Aaronson wasn’t the only American to make noise this week, as several other USMNT regulars turned in notable performances across Europe.
Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
Captain America stayed heavily involved across Milan’s back-to-back draws this week. While goals didn’t come, he was active, created chances, and was consistently Milan’s most direct threat in tight matches against low blocks.
He was denied a goal for handball by VAR against Genoa, and just couldn’t get the better of Fiorentina’s David de Gea despite generating 0.98 xG on three shots.
The Rossoneri’s leading scorer continues the search for his first goal in 2026.
Weston McKennie (Juventus)
As rumors swirl about his future in Turin, McKennie delivered a steady, workmanlike performance in Juventus’ 3-0 win over Sassuolo. Nothing flashy, but reliable minutes in a competitive midfield – exactly what keeps him firmly in the national team picture.
Johnny Cardoso (Atlético Madrid)
Cardoso came on for the final half-hour against Real Madrid in the Supercopa semifinal and made an impact despite the loss. He nearly scored from a corner and delivered a quality cross-field ball that led to a shot on target, showing composure on a big stage.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
Robinson put in a solid shift during Fulham’s 2–1 win over Chelsea, providing his usual energy down the left flank. While an unfortunate deflection off his head contributed to Chelsea’s equalizer, his overall play remained sharp before being subbed off in the second half.
Category: General Sports
