The squad features the return of Pulisic, Tim Weah and Sergino Dest, but doesn't include McKennie, Yunas Musah or Matt Turner
Mauricio Pochettino was asked about the future.
After announcing the USMNT's September squad on Tuesday, the manager fielded questions from reporters. Does he already have the spine of a squad in his head for October and November?
"Yes," the USMNT manager answered bluntly, before explaining the planning process. In his head, he has most of this mapped out. There are 60 to 65 players in his database right now. That number will start to shrink after this month. Which means that September is one last chance to give players a look, for those on the outside to show why they should be in.
As a result, U.S. Soccer unveiled a squad for upcoming friendlies against South Korea and Japan that, in many ways, came with more questions than answers – just 10 months ahead from the 2026 World Cup.
"Now is the time to have different players because we are not going to have the time to be together too much, or train too much," Pochettino said. "We're here to prepare for two games and play. We'll see how they really deal with this level of competition. Now is not the moment to build a group or to work in a different aspect that some people are focused on now.
"It's about focusing on making sure they know what they need to perform, and what they need to do to be our focus. After that, it's time for us to select the best players to play in the World Cup."
The roster includes 12 players from MLS, including the likes of Diego Luna, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Jack McGlynn and Sebastian Berhalter.
"We need to give MLS the value because competing there, I think the players can show that they can perform in the national team," Pochettino said. "I think it's not necessary to move to from MLS to Europe, because sometimes the MLS – under my assessment – maybe is more competitive than some leagues in Europe. We have some players competing in different leagues that maybe are not so competitive, or in every single week compete in the same way that you compete in the MLS every single week."
How did he choose who would and wouldn't be in camp, one that features the return of Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah and Sergino Dest but won't include the likes of Weston McKennie, Yunas Musah or Matt Turner?
GOAL takes a look at five key takeaways from the USMNT roster release.
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Pulisic returns
It was an obvious first question, particularly after a summer of controversy for Pulisic. Pochettino was always going to have to discuss what comes next between himself and his superstar winger, especially after their chaotic Gold Cup back-and-forth over Pulisic's decision to skip the Gold Cup.
No problems, Pochettino says. It's over.
"I haven't talked with Christian," Pochettino said, "but I think we have nothing to talk about. It's all behind us, everything that happened in the summer. And I think we all need to look forward. We have a plan for every single player, and the plan for Christian now is to call him and to see him in this camp."
The story won't disappear that easily, of course. Pulisic will be asked about it when he arrives for USMNT duty, especially after the topic – and his response to former USMNT critics – resurfaced in his docuseries, PULISIC. Pochettino, though, is eager to move on – and getting everyone back together in camp and on good terms is a good way to start.
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Sargent's moment arrrives
Josh Sargent was left out of this summer's squad. It was a "football decision" Pochettino said at the time. The choice to include him in this squad was rather obvious – Sargent made himself impossible to deny.
With four goals in four games to start the season at Norwich, Sargent is in incredible form, making him the obvious starting striker in this camp. With Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun both out, recovering from injury, the only other striker in camp is Damion Downs. Given Sargent's form, and his need to prove himself, this will be his best chance yet.
He'll need it. His USMNT goal drought, dating back to 2019, has been widely publicized and, while it doesn't tell the whole story, the Norwich City star does desperately need it to end. In these two games, both against good competition, Sargent will be under immense pressure to show he can translate that fantastic Championship form to the international level.
"All of the players that we are going to call, or have called in the past, have the possibility and the chance to show their quality and convince us that they deserve a place in the national team," Pochettino said. "That is the way we have things, the design and the plan. In every aspect and every detail, we work hard. We work in two different aspects: the collective way and the individual way. That is important, and I think we are happy now.
"I think different players have shown that they want to play and want to perform and want to compete for the World Cup. Looking forward to this camp, it's going to be nice to see not only players that have had chances in the past, but also new players that can perform and show us the possibility of fighting for a place."
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McKennie and other omissions
There are a number of omissions. Many can easily be explained. Antonee Robinson and Pepi only recently returned from injury. Malik Tillman hasn't yet. Gio Reyna just switched clubs, as did Johnny Cardoso, whom Pochettino said was left off to allow him to focus on minutes at Atletico Madrid.
There are others, though, who are harder to understand. Weston McKennie, one of the notable faces of the program, is among the absences. So, too, is Yunus Musah, one of his midfield partners in Qatar. Tanner Tessmann has been fantastic for Lyon, as has Aidan Morris for Middlesbrough. Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally the Aaronsons – Brendan and Paxten – the list goes on.
When asked specifically about McKennie, Pochettino offered multiple explanations. The first is that, having played in the Club World Cup this summer, Juventus had an odd preseason, leaving McKennie once again fighting for a starting role. The second? He's more than familiar with the midfielder, just as he is with a few of the others who were omitted.
"We want to give him the possibility and all the tools to fight for a place every week and compete," Pochettino said of McKennie, "because that is what is going to put him in his best form. We know him really well and know his talent and we wanted to provide the possibility, in this camp – because I think for us, this is the last camp that we are going to bring in new faces."
Among those newcomers? Noahkai Banks and Tristan Blackmon, who will be looking for their first USMNT caps alongside USMNT veterans Tim Ream and Chris Richards at centerback.
Sean Zawadzki is looking for cap No. 2. Max Arfsten, Sebastian Berhalter, Alex Freeman and Damion Downs will be looking to build on their Gold Cup runs, while Alejandro Zendejas, omitted so far in 2025, is back in the group to fight for a wing spot.
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An inexperienced goalkeeper group
Matt Freese proved himself as the USMNT's starter during the Gold Cup. He's back in the team. Alongside him? Two inexperienced goalkeepers, which indicates that Freese is going to be the guy again during this window.
Jonathan Klinsmann and Roman Celentano head into USMNT camp with zero caps between them and, while Pochettino will certainly be eager to look at different options in between the posts, Freese is clearly the No. 1 in this group. That's not to say the others can't impress, of course, but Freese seems to be the front-runner to not just start these games, but at the World Cup – at least as of today.
Pochettino, however, wouldn't go that far.
"At the moment, it is open," he said. "I don't have a No. 1. We don't work this way. I think we have full respect for all of the players that can be called in by us and I think we need to feel that there's a possibility to fight for a place if we want the team to be really competitive. They need places to fight… They need to feel that threat from their teammate and they need to defend their place every single time they have the possibility to join the national team."
Freese's chief competition, Matt Turner, was left with his club this window. The New England Revolution are set to play through the international break due to MLS' scheduling quirks, meaning Turner will be able to get much-needed minutes after making the move back to the U.S. in search of playing time this summer.
"It's fair to give some possibilities to players that are performing, playing and playing well," said Pochettino. "I've seen the situation with Matt moving to New England in MLS and it is important for him to start to play with continuity and for us to see different options on the roster at keeper. That is easy to explain: we want to see another player and we think they deserve to be here and now have the possibility to show themselves."