Bengals Starting XI: Building a World Cup lineup from Cincinnati’s 2026 roster to back up the USMNT
We’ve got World Cup fever thanks to the United States men’s national team! What if the USMNT needed a backup 11, and what if those 11 had to come from the Cincinnati Bengals?
The United States men’s national soccer team put on a show Friday night in their first game of group stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. defeated Paraguay, 4-1, in front of an electric home crowd in Inglewood, California.
We’ve got Association Football fever while there isn’t any American Football going on. What if the USMNT needed a backup 11, and what if those 11 had to come from the Cincinnati Bengals?
I’m going to build out the ideal Bengals lineup on the pitch, using a 4-2-3-1 formation. That’s four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders, and a striker along with a goalkeeper.
Soccer Position Groups Explained
The goalie is self-explanatory. The rest of the positions are as follows.
- Defenders: Players who play closest to their own goal. They defend the opposing team from scoring.
- Midfielders: Multi-faceted players who are positioned in the middle of the formation. They facilitate the ball from defenders to the forwards, as well as have equal defensive and offensive responsibilities. For this exercise, they’re split into two groups:
- Defensive Midfielders
- Attacking Midfielders
- Forwards: The primary goal-scorers. They play on the front lines and are tasked with attacking the defense. In this formation, the Bengals would have just the striker.
Defenders
Left-Back (LB): Dax Hill
The cornerbacks in football are kinda like the full-backs in soccer that flank the center backs. Hill has found a home at corner for Cincinnati, and he’d be an ideal left-back to live in the hip pocket of the corresponding winger, as well as provide counterattacks.
Right-Back (RB): Andrei Iosivas
I had to get a track athlete on here somewhere. Iosivas is a speedster with height and length to his frame. He can put his explosion and long speed to good use here. He was also born in Japan, but moved to the States when he was four and became a citizen as a teenager.
Center-Back (CB): Shemar Stewart
The main defense comes from the center-backs, who need to get physical and prevent easy looks when the ball gets to the middle. Stewart has the best combination of size at 6-5, 267, and speed on the entire roster. He’d be an imposing force in the middle of the defense.
Center-Back (CB): Myles Murphy
Same argument for Murphy as it was for Stewart. He’s got equal length and force for his size. Plenty of mass that can scoot in front of goal.
Defensive Midfielders
Center Defensive Midfielder (CDM): Bryan Cook
As we progress up the pitch, the midfielders need to be the most cerebral players for maintaining possession and starting attacks. Cook is going to be that leader and the last line of defense for the Bengals, but he’s the front of the defense who can put a stop to attacks before they happen in this lineup.
Center Defensive Midfielder (CDM): Demetrius Knight Jr.
Linebackers are the traditional comparison for a CDM so I have to give a nod to Knight, who is the best athlete Cincy has at the position. If he can work on his angles, we’ll have a stout frontline of defense with Cook.
Attacking Midfielders
Left Winger (LW): DJ Turner II
Arguably the fastest player on the team, Turner would be a menace for the right-back to deal with up the side of the pitch. His explosion, balance, and vision are all why I want him attacking more than defending, though he’d be a natural fit as a full-back.
Right Winger (RW): Ja’Marr Chase
Chase has the best counterargument for being the fastest. His athleticism needs no explanation. Let him create and slash toward the box.
Center Attacking Midfielder (CAM): Joe Burrow
The CAM is the quarterback/point guard of the pitch, the true facilitator of the attack. Burrow has the mobility to create, but getting the ball to his playmakers is his primary objective.
Forward
Striker (ST): Tee Higgins
You want the prototype X receiver handling this spot. Higgins has the imposing size at 6-4, long speed, and high-pointing ability to put crossers past the keeper.
Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (GK): Eric Gentry
Length and ball-tracking are the two qualities a goalie needs. While there are other players who can catch the ball better, Gentry is built like the perfect keeper at 6-7 with an 85-inch wingspan. Nothing’s getting past him in goal.
The Full Squad
Not too shabby, or maybe it is. I don’t know. Someone who watches more than just the major tournaments every four years can let me know.