Frank Lampard Offers Haji Wright USMNT World Cup Roster Advice

If Haji Wright wants to be a key player for the U.S. men’s national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, his manager, Frank Lampard, at Coventry City has one message for him: “Keep doing what you’re doing.”

The 27-year-old Wright has gotten off to a stellar start in the 2025–26 EFL Championship campaign, scoring five goals in six matches battling in the Golden Boot race with fellow USMNT striker Josh Sargent.

While injury and questionable squad selection held Wright out of the recent American friendlies against South Korea, Japan and saw him miss all but one match at the Concacaf Gold Cup, he remains in the picture, having last played significant national team minutes with a 25-minute showing in June’s loss to Turkïye.

In total, he has five goals in 17 caps with the USMNT. Frank Lampard sat down with Sports Illustrated to discuss Wright and offer valuable advice as the 2026 tournament draws closer.

“I hope he does [start], and how passionate he is about doing that and representing his country at the World Cup and what that would mean to him. He’s very honest about that, as he should be,” Lampard told Sports Illustrated.

“It’s certainly not for me to name the American team or squad, with a lot of respect for Mauricio and how he sees it.

“What [Haji Wright] needs to do is play like he has at the start of the season and continue that form, because we’ve got a Haji now that is physically in great condition, mentally is smiling, and is hungry and ready to go.”

Playing under Lampard for Coventry, Wright has adapted his position this season, taking on a more central role as a traditional No. 9.

It was a thoughtful tactical shift from Lampard, and so far, it’s paid off for the American striker, who needs to keep scoring to remain in the race for Pochettino’s squad in the build to the World Cup on home soil.

“We work on situations in the game where he’s so strong, and to put him in positions to maximize his attributes, the rest is down to him,” Lampard added. “Haji’s got high talent, and I think if he really stays and keeps playing at this level, he will ask all the right questions to get into that American squad.”