Antonee Robinson: The Left Back Who Changed How the USMNT Attacks

The Most Underrated USMNT Player of the Pochettino Era

Here is a fact about Antonee Robinson that deserves more attention than it gets: in the USMNT’s most productive attacking performances under Mauricio Pochettino, Robinson has been involved in more goal-creating sequences than almost any other player on the field. Not because he scores goals — he doesn’t, or at least not often. But because the way Pochettino’s 3-4-3 is built, Robinson’s left wingback role is effectively a wide midfielder position with defensive responsibilities, and when he’s running well and picking up forward passes in space, he creates chaos that even elite right-side defenders struggle to manage.

The Fulham defender has 52 caps heading into the World Cup. He was named in Pochettino’s first squad in October 2024. He has started nearly every match since. His combination of pace, crossing quality, and willingness to defend hard in transition makes him one of the few genuine two-way threats the United States has at wide positions. In a system that demands wingbacks operate like midfielder-forwards in the attack and like central defenders in the press, Robinson is the closest thing the team has to a perfect fit.

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What He Provides That Nobody Else Can

The Robinson effect is most visible in the data from the matches where the USMNT’s attack has functioned correctly. Against Uruguay in November 2025, Robinson provided two direct assists — the corner that set up Berhalter’s free kick, and a sequence that created the second goal. In matches where his forward runs are timed correctly and the attack is in rhythm, he essentially functions as an extra attacking midfielder who happens to also be able to defend. That dual functionality is exactly what the 3-4-3 needs from its wide positions.

His pace is a genuine weapon against any opponent who tries to play a high defensive line. In the World Cup group stage matches against Paraguay and Australia, if those teams defend deep, Robinson’s runs behind their defensive shape could be the primary source of width-based attacking danger. That makes him more than a supporting actor. It makes him a central tactical piece.

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The Injury Question

Robinson’s absence from the Nations League semifinals in March 2025 due to injury was cited as one of the significant factors in the Panama loss. His value to the team structure is clearest when he’s not in it. The USMNT without Robinson is a different team — narrower, less able to stretch defenses, and more dependent on central combinations. His inclusion in Pochettino’s starting lineup is one of the first things to check before evaluating any USMNT tactical performance.

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Why This Matters for the USMNT Going Forward

Robinson at full fitness and form is one of the USMNT’s most reliable weapons heading into the World Cup. The group stage opponents — Paraguay, Australia, Turkey — will need to account for his forward runs from the left side every time the United States builds out of the back. If he’s right, the width of the USMNT’s attack creates space that makes everyone else more dangerous. He is, quietly, one of the most important players on this entire roster.