ON THURSDAY, UNITED STATES national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino named his roster for the November international window which will feature games against Paraguay and Uruguay. The roster consists of 25 players and includes 11 players who were not part of the successful October window where the team drew Ecuador and defeated Australia.

This month’s camp is severely impacted by injuries.

These players are all currently unable to play for their clubs:

• Christian Pulisic
• Tim Weah
• Alejandro Zendejas
• Antonee Robinson
• Jack McGlynn
• Cameron Carter-Vickers
• Brian White
• Chris Brady

Then there are players who have only just returned from action with their clubs but who were left off this roster.

• Johnny Cardoso
• Malik Tillman

Then there is Chris Richards who is apparently playing through an injury at the moment with Crystal Palace. Weston McKennie’s omission is also significant and will need to be addressed. The Juventus player is coming off a strong October camp but recently saw his club make a coaching change which could make his time better spent remaining in Italy.

In total, Pochettino called up 25 players including four goalkeepers (where he will use three at the World Cup). Pochettino could have called up one or two more field players but opted not to do so.

For players that are healthy but did not make this roster, it should be concerning.

Here is the roster along with some thoughts on everything.

United States Men’s National Team Roster

(Club/Country; Caps/Goals) 

GOALKEEPERS (4): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 11/0), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena/ITA; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 3/0) 

DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 14/1), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 35/2), Alex Freeman (Orlando City; 11/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse FC/FRA; 24/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 78/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 37/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 21/0), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/GER; 4/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 4/0) 

MIDFIELDERS (7): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 52/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 7/0), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 11/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 32/8), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 41/0), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 10/0), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew; 1/0) 

FORWARDS (5): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 54/9), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco/FRA; 27/7), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 16/3), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 33/13), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 19/7) 

Pochettino optimistic on time

Pochettino addressed the media after the roster was released, and he said he was not concerned with the dwindling number of camps before the World Cup. There is just this camp followed by the March camp before final World Cup preparations.

This suggests that that Pochettino is comfortable with the team and the players. It also reflects why he was comfortable with some players being left off this team who are regulars (Richards and McKennie). It also hints that he isn’t viewing these camps as much about “building” but rather it is about learning more about players and formation. He might believe that the March camp and the final World Cup run-up is all that he needs to have this team ready.

Weakened attack

One of the big takeaways is just how impacted the USMNT attack is this camp due to injuries. Pochettino is without Pulisic, Weah, and Zendejas. He also left Weston McKennie off this roster for reasons likely due to his club’s recent coaching change. But McKennie played out wide in October and had a good camp.  

That is very significant and it will test the team’s ability to create and score from out wide.

Haji Wright floats between wing and striker but in this camp, he is likely going to be tested out wide.

With Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun called up, the striker position is well covered.

But Pochettino will likely need players to play on the wing who are not pure wingers. Brenden Aaronson is a player not really tied to one position and he usually roams to be aggressive in the press. But he could be tasked with responsibilities out wide.

Diego Luna, Gio Reyna, and Christian Roldan are players who could feature out wide.

4 central defenders

One takeaway from this roster is that Pochettino only elected to call-up four central defenders. Recently he had been opting for five as the team has been opting for a three-man backline formation.

That doesn’t provide a lot of coverage in the back as Tim Ream, Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie, and Auston Trusty will have to make do without Richards. Trusty also has not spent a lot of time with the team and only recently returned to the lineup for Celtic after the coaching change and injury to compatriot Carter-Vickers.

Instead of opting to bring in another central defender such as Noahkai Banks or Walker Zimmerman, Pochettino will likely consider Joe Scally and Sean Zawadzki to be central defense cover. Both players have played in the backline at their clubs in a three-man backline formation.

Central midfielders

This is the deepest area of the team and is the most competitive with a lot of players vying for limited spots. The spots are even more limited with a three-man backline that typically squeezes out another midfielder.

But there are injuries or recent injuries to Cardoso and McGlynn while McKennie is also absent. But James Sands did not earn another invite after the October camp. St. Pauli has been in terrible form since then and that did not help his case.

Instead, Pochettino took a pragmatic approach and called up players who are all playing well for their clubs. Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Christian Roldan, Sean Zawadzki, and Sebastian Berhalter are all simply playing well for clubs that are doing well in their leagues or in the playoffs.

There are always exceptions, but Pochettino prioritizes playing well for winning teams.

Goalkeepers

It was surprising that Pochettino brought four goalkeepers given that he has played Matt Freese every game since the summer and hasn’t rotated much. Everyone expected Freese to be there but what is interesting is that Pochettino felt compelled to call up three additional goalkeepers – and Matt Turner was not among the group.

What does this mean?

First, Matt Freese is still the number one. He has been the starter the last three games as the team has continued to improve. He has also continued to play well for New York City. There seems to be no reason for him to no longer be the No. 1 right now.

Second, it is not clear how strong Freese’s grip is on the starting job.

Third, it is also not clear what the pecking order is behind Freese.

But calling in four goalkeepers reflects that there isn’t clarity on the position – especially without Matt Turner who had been the No. 1 for the last World Cup and Copa America.

Other Notable absences

Weston McKennie is playing very well right now but Juventus recently had a coaching change and there is a need for McKennie to settle himself there. He seems to be in a good position with the national team after a solid October camp. But Pochettino on the media call suggest that it was important for McKennie to remain with Juventus as he has made a positive impression with the new manager Luciano Spalletti.

Yunus Musah: Musah’s status within the USMNT is not strong. He is healthy and Atalanta has a manager with job security. But he is not playing much at Atalanta and it seems to be a difficult path ahead for him to do so. Despite him remaining in Italy during the last two international windows, his status within the club has not improved much. Musah has not been with the USMNT since March and he has an uphill climb to make the team.  

Noahkai Banks: The 18-year-old central defender has started for Augsburg over the past month and Pochettino likes him based on his September call-up. But he is young and still in the process of finding his way at the club level. He is a player who could make a late push for the World Cup team if it looks like he is on track for a 2000+ minute season and is playing well.

James Sands: the St. Pauli defensive midfielder (on loan from NYCFC), has been a regular Bundesliga starter all season and earned the call-up in October. But St. Pauli has struggled and Sands was no brought back – likely due to Tyler Adams being back.

Walker Zimmerman: the long-time USMNT veteran might have been in the mix for this camp given the injuries to central defenders. But Zimmerman is still only recently returned from a concussion and Pochettino elected to go with Auston Trusty instead.

Josh Sargent: he wasn’t expected to be back with the team after his form has faded badly with Norwich and with Pepi and Balogun both healthy. But he remains in the broader pool and one injury could change anything.

Return of Reyna & Scally

One of the big notes from the roster is that Gio Reyna and Joe Scally returned to the team for the first time since March. This comes on the heels of what has been a brutal start to the season for their club, Borussia Monchengladbach. Scally starts most games at right back for the club but also plays central defense in a three-man backline.

Reyna, meanwhile, is one of the most talked about American players despite not playing much.

Scally is versatile in ways that could help the U.S. team’s roster.

Reyna is here for his individual talent that he has shown in the increasingly distant past. Pochettino wants to assess his level and see how he fits into where the team stands now. It is tough to really breakdown Reyna and how he can fit in because there is not much we know about him and where he is right now. Can he start? How long can he play for? How much can he contribute defensively? 

When players don't play, it is a guessing game unless you are present at closed-door trainings. 

Neither Reyna nor Scally are locks to make the World Cup team. Most likely they are 50/50 players at best. For Reyna, where does he fit in once Tillman returns? He would then have to beat out Brenden Aaronson or Diego Luna. Luna has had a good year with the team and Aaronson continues to start in the Premier League while offering the energy that Pochettino wants. If Reyna wants to play wing, it becomes harder. Where does he fit once Pulisic, Weah, or Zendejas are back?

But all that is moot unless Reyna can play minutes for Monchengladbach.

Scally might have a better pathway into the team because with 26 players, a player who can feature at either fullback position or in central defense in a three-man backline is useful.

Other notes

Ricardo Pepi’s return to the team for the first time in a year is welcome news to Pochettino as Pepi and Balogun both offer quality options at forward while having very different skillsets. Balogun can get behind defenders. Pepi can muscle with defenders and threaten in the air.

Both Balogun and Pepi scored in the Champions League this past week.

Four former Philadelphia Union homegrowns were called up this window with Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, Matt Freese, and Auston Trusty all getting the nod. The impact the Union, its homegrown alums, or its former youth players have had on U.S. youth national teams, or the current full national team is huge.

Alex Freeman was recently named the MLS Young Player of the Year for 2025 and the fullback has kept his spot on the USMNT since his first call-up in June.

The ugliness of the Gregg Berhalter and Claudio Reyna fallout from the 2022 World Cup continues to linger in the minds of fans and observers of the program. Now for the first time, both Sebastian Berhlater and Gio Reyna will be called into a USMNT camp together.