Alex_freeman_-_asn_top_-_usmnt_goal_vs._uruguay_-_11-18-2025
USMNT analysis

USMNT closes 2025 with 5-1 blowout of Uruguay, competition for roster spots is now wide open

ASN's Brian Sciaretta breaks down the U.S. national team's 5-1 win over Uruguay and writes how the competition for a World Cup roster spot is now wide open
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
November 19, 2025
10:00 AM

THE UNITED STATES MEN’S NATIONAL team ended 2025 with its best performance in years in a 5-1 rout over Uruguay in Tampa, Florida. But a good performance only tells part of the story. It completely blew open the doors on the competition to make this team, making it seem almost as a wide-open race. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino gave a blistering postgame press conference challenging the narrative this was a “B-team” or a rotated squad.

The result of this game and this camp is that no one has any clue as to what the World Cup roster will look like. Anyone can guess. But this notion that that there are “locks” and that some players are assured of being there has been something that Pochettino has been pushing back from day one. He’s even gone so far as to suggest that having roster spots assured for players has been the team’s biggest problem all along.

In the postgame following the win over Uruguay, he took it to another level with angry responses to the first two questions. When you combine his philosophy with the results of this team this past window – with so many of the media’s assumed locks missing for a variety of reasons – it is very easy to see a World Cup team that does not include players the fans or media expected to be there all along.

It would have been one thing if the U.S. team defeated Uruguay and goals came from Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, and Weston McKennie. Not much would have been learned. But if players are in a real competition for roster spots, we have to accept that things are different that how we might have expected it to be. 

 

Against Uruguay, Sebastian Berhalter scored the first goal with a blistering shot from the side of the box following a short free kick. The Alex Freeman scored two goals – the second of which was one of the best goals the team scored all season. Then Luna also scored to make it a 4-0 blowout in just the first half.

The second half was more dialed back in intensity. Uruguay was reduced to 10 men, the U.S. added on a fifth goal through Tanner Tessmann (assisted by Gio Reyna) but the story was about that first half.

Just like that, the 2025 calendar year is over for the U.S. team. Let’s look at this game and what unfolded after it.

 

Who stood out/didn’t

 

The list of players who helped their case is rather obvious.

Alex Freeman: the Orlando City right back had a great camp. The scuffle at the end of the Paraguay game brought things together and Pochettino marveled at how strong he is. Then against Uruguay, he had two goals and was solid defensively. Most importantly, he showed he could play with Dest – as opposed to competing with Dest. The modern game demands athleticism from fullbacks and Freeman brings it in droves.

 

Sebastian Berhalter: the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder wasn’t the MOTM against Uruguay, but he wasn’t far behind Freeman for the honor. He is an excellent passer and his set piece deliveries are as good as anyone in the pool. Central midfield is competitive on the U.S. team, but Berhalter is competing as well as anyone.

 

Diego Luna: has already made a good impression this year but he once again played with aggression and was rewarded with a goal.

John Tolkin: At this point, it seems like Antonee Robinson’s health has him as a toss-up (at best) to make this team. Pochettino has been rolling with Max Arfsten for most of 2025, but if he wants another left-footed option for the position, Tolkin showed he is also in the mix.

Auston Trusty: The Celtic defender has been in the mix for awhile but he was finally given a start against Uruguay. He picked up an assist on the second goal from Freeman.

Tanner Tessmann: yes, the intensity was dialed back when he came into the game with the U.S. up by three goals and Uruguay down to 10 men. But he still scored and built off the momentum of a good performance against Paraguay.

As for who didn’t, the only starters who didn’t have great games were Matt Freese – who seemed shaky. Freese is still likely to make the World Cup team by virtue of starting every game since the summer. But he still needs to fight to start. Also, Haji Wright was mostly invisible up top against Uruguay. In terms of both games, Ricardo Pepi also failed to leave his mark.

 

A-team, B-team nonsense

 

One of the biggest talking points after the game was Pochettino’s press conference when he erupted after this first two questions about questioning about how the team played while “missing regular” players. This echoed the talk over the summer when he didn’t like the idea of calling the Gold Cup team a “B team.”

This was just response to the opening question about the performance with so many regulars missing.  



Pochettino has never liked he idea of one roster being superior to another. For him, it is always the United States men’s national team regardless of who is on it.

But his response in this press conference was so forceful and so emotional, it requires more analysis.

First, Pochettino’s response is likely also to defend the players on this roster who put together the most successful window in years for the national team. He was likely very satisfied with the performance and doesn’t think they deserve to be seen as reserves or backups.

That could because he wants to see them be spoken about respectfully as elite American international players. But also, he might see several of them as potential starters. Many fans and many in the media spend time trying to understand Pochettino without realizing that he is telling you all you need to know – especially when it comes to ideas of respect and competition.

Pochettino has said countless times that there is an open competition for roster spots. That means no such distinction between a top lineup or a secondary lineup exists yet. These concepts all become tied together when he wants respect for all the players who are now competing for spots on the World Cup team. They are all U.S. internationals, as determined by him, a highly accomplished coach of the national team.

Coming off an emotional 5-1 win, part of Pochettino’s emotion could just be wanting to ensure that the players who delivered him this victory were not referred to as “second stringers.” He is on the side of these players and he wanted everyone to know that.

There is also this, from Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa – who was a very close mentor to Pochettino over the course of decades. .



After the game, Bielsa spoke first followed by Pochettino. We don’t know if Pochettino was aware Bielsa said this when he started his press conference but Pochettino showed up at the press conference more energetic than usual, although it didn’t seem as festive as it was the day before the match.

If he was aware of Bielsa’s comments, maybe it made Pochettino more on edge about the topic when he took to the microphone. With him already not liking the concept of first teams or second teams from reporters or fans, it would have stung Pochettino more if it came from Bielsa.

But what the reporters said was far milder than what Bielsa said minutes before. Regardless of whether Bielsa’s comments made Pochettino more sensitive about the topic, Pochettino made it clear that he doesn’t have a ranking yet – and he has the final say on those matters within the U.S. team.

 

What could a World Cup roster look like?

 

After every window, the U.S. national team depth chart changes – which is fine. But for Pochettino, it is about trusting players and finding those he is comfortable putting into difficult situations.

There is now much one more camp to go until the final World Cup camp opens. Time is nearly up for players to make their case. The good news for players is that the final World Cup camp preparations will be long (several weeks) before the first game. That means that the March camp can still be used to evaluate players and keep the competition going. He does not need to feel compelled to bring his World Cup team in March.

Just as this window changed things a lot, the March window could do the same as well. MLS players will soon (or have already) entered their offseason. That will affect things as well.

Still, this past camp was definitely a good thing for those involved and many received a boost. Of course, there are plenty of players not involved who will make the World Cup team – players such as Christian Pulisic and Chris Richards are certainly in extremely strong positions.

But how about players such as Yunus Musah, Johnny Cardoso, James Sands, Alex Zendejas, Jack McGlynn, Kristoffer Lund, or Josh Sargent? These are bubble players who likely now find themselves behind others. Musah and Cardoso have been involved with the national team program for five years. Musah hasn’t progressed much in the last four years and is now not playing at Atalanta, while Cardoso has never seen his club success translate over to the U.S. team.

But then there are players who are very likely to make it in the end but still must continue to play well – Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Tyler Adams. 

After having listened to Pochettino the past few months since the fall, it seems very possible that at least one name one every fan or media’s projected roster could be cut.

No one is above being forced to compete and play well in camp.

There is still a lot of time and anything can happen, but here is a projection anyway.

Projected USMNT roster

Goalkeepers (3): Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte

Defenders (9): Max Arfsten, John Tolkin, Alex Freeman, Sergino Dest, Chris Richareds, Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Auston Trusty

Midfielders (7): Tyler Adams, Christian Roldan, Aidan Morris, Tanner Tessmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna

Forwards (7): Brenden Aaronson, Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic, Haji Wright, Folarin Balogun

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