Few forwards in the world have scored as many goals as Haji Wright for Coventry City this season, as he has the Sky Blues atop the Championship nine games into the campaign. They have an astonishing plus-20 goal difference as Wright has scored eight of their 27 goals this season, leading the goal scorer charts. That form has earned Wright a spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s United States men’s national team squad to face Ecuador and Australia this month, where he could make his first USMNT appearance since the beginning of the Gold Cup, where he picked up an injury while facing Trinidad & Tobago in June.
Wright was on the World Cup squad in 2022 and scored the lone goal for the USMNT in their round of 16 defeat to the Netherlands, and like everyone in Pochettino’s team, he wants to do what he can to be in the squad for the 2026 tournament on home soil.
“It’s no secret that I want to be in the World Cup squad,” Wright said speaking to the media ahead of Friday’s friendly vs. Ecuador. The forward didn’t use that injury at the Gold Cup as something to dwell on, he has instead been putting his best foot forward through a positive outlook and sensational form.
“It’s disappointing. I was super excited to be at the Gold Cup, to be with the guys, and hopefully go on a run and win the tournament,” Wright said. “In the end, that’s obviously not how it turned out, but it’s disappointing to not be able to really contribute much, and I just tried to heal up and get ready for the season and hopefully earn my spot back into the national team.”
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Back in the squad, Wright is doing just that to move past the Gold Cup disappointment. Someone who can play on the wing, as an attacking midfielder, or a proper nine, Wright has found his form this season playing as a point striker under Frank Lampard. Wright has enjoyed playing under the English manager, and it has shown in his form. Wright has also had a consistent position for the Sky Blues and is showing that he needs to keep starting week in and week out.
“I’ve been playing primarily striker this season, so that’s where I see myself, but if I’m asked to play out wide or take a step back and play as a 10, that’s all fine with me. I feel comfortable in all positions,” he said.
Wright acknowledged that he hasn’t spoken with Pochettino and his staff about which position is where they see him, but in the two matches that Wright has played for Pochettino with the USMNT, he has come on as a striker and a left winger. Pochettino has been open about how he values versatility in the squad, and that’s somewhere that a player like Wright can help when World Cup squads call for players to feature in multiple roles.
He understands that there are ups and downs when it comes to national team duty, and how that impacts Wright’s mindset is critical. He is focused on doing what he can for his club and letting the international part take care of itself. Whether he’s getting called into camp or not, that mindset remains the same, as do the hopes of making another World Cup roster. Folarin Balogun may be the starting striker, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room to make an impact in games.
Rotation and players coming off the bench will be important to the success of the USMNT, and if Wright can translate this form into camp, it could go a long way to getting the USMNT on the right track as they prepare for the World Cup. Who knows — there’s a chance that the last player to score a World Cup goal for the USMNT could also be the first one to score a goal for them on home soil when things kick off for 2026.
