Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
The official USMNT roster will be released Tuesday, May 26th in New York City, and there’s already plenty of debate among media, fans, and analysts about who should make the squad and what Mauricio Pochettino is likely to do.
Here’s a breakdown of each position, including what I think Pochettino will do and what I would do. What are your thoughts, and which players do you think will miss out?
Goalkeepers
It’s clear that Matt Freese and Matt Turner have done enough to establish themselves as the top two goalkeeping options, but the third goalkeeper spot remains up for debate.
Many fans want to see a younger goalkeeper, such as Chris Brady or Diego Kochen, included with the hope they can eventually become the USMNT’s long-term No. 1 in this cycle or the next. Others would prefer a more experienced option with stronger club resumes, like Roman Celentano, Patrick Schulte, or Zack Steffen.
Here’s what I think Pochettino will do, and what I would do.
Pochettino’s Pick
USKeeper Picks
Chris Brady
Chris Brady
Matt Freese
Matt Freese
Matt Turner
Matt Turner
Defenders
The USMNT defense, particularly at center back, has looked unsettled and inconsistent, raising real questions about what the back line will ultimately look like. There’s still uncertainty around whether the team will defend in a two- or three-center-back system, and that decision will shape everything else.
Continuity in defense is essential for a team’s success, but right now that consistency hasn’t been established. Much of that will need to be developed quickly through the upcoming friendlies and into the group stage, though there’s a real concern that it may be a case of too little, too late for the group to fully gel.
There also aren’t many clear-cut surprises expected in this area of the roster. The main competition appears to be between Auston Trusty and Joe Scally for a similar role, while questions remain about where Tim Weah is best utilized defensively or higher up the field. On top of that, there’s the added uncertainty of whether Noahkai Banks will commit to a roster spot with the USMNT.
Here’s what I think Pochettino will do, and what I would do.
Pochettino’s Pick
USKeeper Picks
Max Arfsten
Noahkai Banks
Sergiño Dest
Sergiño Dest
Alex Freeman
Alex Freeman
Mark McKenzie
Mark McKenzie
Tim Ream
Tim Ream
Chris Richards
Chris Richards
Antonee Robinson
Antonee Robinson
Auston Trusty
Joe Scally
Tim Weah
Auston Trusty
Central Midfielders
Many still consider central midfield one of the USMNT’s stronger areas, but recent injuries have introduced some uncertainty heading into the 2026 World Cup. Johnny Cardoso’s injury, who has been ruled out of the tournament, along with Tanner Tessmann’s whose recent muscle issues has missed several matches for Lyon, has raised legitimate questions about depth in the position.
Those setbacks put added focus on who will partner with Tyler Adams in what is likely to be a double pivot, an area that will be crucial in protecting and connecting play in front of the back line.
Several candidates have emerged in recent discussions. Aidan Morris is frequently mentioned, having been consistently reliable in the EFL Championship with Middlesbrough, who narrowly missed promotion to the Premier League. Others in the mix include Yunus Musah and Gianluca Busio, both of whom have had limited or inconsistent involvement under the Pochettino era so far, leaving their roles still somewhat undefined.
Here’s what I think Pochettino will do, and what I would do.
Pochettino’s Pick
USKeeper Picks
Tyler Adams
Tyler Adams
Sebastian Berhalter
Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie
Aidan Morris
Aidan Morris
Yunus Musah
Cristian Roldan
Tanner Tessmann
Tanner Tessmann
Attacking Midfielder / Wingers
The biggest question in this group is whether Gio Reyna will be part of the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup roster. Across social media and among USMNT analysts, opinions are sharply divided, with the outlook on Reyna currently feeling close to 50/50.
Beyond that uncertainty, there are clear internal battles for attacking midfield and wide roles. One of the most notable competitions appears to be between Alejandro Zendejas and Diego Luna, with it likely that only one of them will ultimately secure a roster spot.
Jack McGlynn is another player who could fit into this role or slide into a central midfield position. He remains firmly on the radar and could work his way onto the roster if another player drops out or a spot opens up.
There is also a growing push from some supporters for the inclusion of younger attacking talent. Depending on how the roster shapes out, this could open the door for players like Mathis Albert, Zavier Gozo, or Julian Hall to break into the squad and fill one of those remaining attacking positions.
Here’s what I think Pochettino will do, and what I would do.
Pochettino’s Pick
USKeeper Picks
Brendan Aaronson
Brendan Aaronson
Diego Luna
Zavier Gozo
Christian Pulisic
Christian Pulisic
Giovanni Reyna
Giovanni Reyna
Malik Tillman
Malik Tillman
Tim Weah
Strikers
This may be the only position where a large majority of the USMNT community agrees on at least two of the three striker options, if not all three. Some believe the roster should include a fourth striker, but I’m not in that camp.
After Patrick Agyemang’s injury, the debate over the third striker spot alongside Haji Wright largely disappeared. Brian White continues to make a strong case in MLS, approaching double-digit goal contributions on the season. Beyond those names, however, there don’t appear to be many standout alternatives, with Josh Sargent and Damion Downs currently sitting further down the depth chart.
Here’s what I think Pochettino will do, and what I would do.
Pochettino’s Pick
USKeeper Picks
Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun
Ricardo Pepi
Ricardo Pepi
Haji Wright
Haji Wright
USMNT Roster Decisions Impacts
The official USMNT roster will be unveiled Tuesday, May 26th in New York City, and the debate is already heating up among fans, media, and analysts over who deserves a spot and what Mauricio Pochettino’s final decisions will look like.
Below is a position-by-position breakdown of what I believe Pochettino is likely to do, along with the choices I would make if I were building the squad. Which players do you think will make the cut, and who could be left out?
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
With the next wave of highly rated teenagers likely to be brought into the #USMNT during the 2030 World Cup cycle, I decided to look back at some of the young players who were once hyped as the next stars of the U.S. Men’s National Team but never established themselves as regular internationals.
Freddy Adu would seem to be at the top of this list. While he never became a regular for the #USMNT or the world-class face of U.S. Soccer many expected, he still earned 17 caps, scoring 2 goals and adding 3 assists. In many ways, he accomplished more at the international level than most of the players who are listed below combined.
Which former USMNT prospects did I miss, players who are no longer playing or are past their prime, who deserve to be on this list?
Cody Cropper – GK – 0 caps
U.S. youth international and longtime goalkeeper prospect who reached the Southampton and MLS systems but never earned a senior cap.
Junior Flores – AM – 0 caps
Creative midfielder who joined Borussia Dortmund’s system as a teenager and was viewed as a major U.S. prospect, but never reached the senior USMNT.
Eddie Gaven – MF/W – 8 caps
Teenage MLS phenom who became a league standout, but despite eight USMNT appearances, his international career never developed further.
Luis Gil – AM – 2 caps
One of the most hyped American midfield prospects of his generation; debuted for RSL at 16 but never translated that promise into a sustained USMNT career.
Emerson Hyndman – MF – 2 caps
Highly rated central midfielder who broke through at Fulham and earned two USMNT appearances, but never established himself internationally.
Perry Kitchen – DM/CB – 5 caps
U.S. youth captain and defensive midfielder who became a regular MLS starter, but his senior international career stalled after five caps.
Will Packwood – CB/DM – 0 caps
Birmingham City prospect who became the youngest American to play in the English Championship, but injuries severely disrupted his development.
Marc Pelosi – LB/CB – 0 caps
Highly regarded defender who moved to Liverpool as a teenager, but injuries and limited senior opportunities derailed his path to the USMNT.
Gedion Zelalem – MF – 0 caps
Arsenal wonderkid and one of the most highly regarded U.S. prospects of his generation. Injuries and inconsistent senior opportunities slowed his development, and he never made a senior USMNT appearance.
The number of young USMNT players in this September/October window is something we haven’t seen in quite some time. Some will catch the eye of newly extended USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino, while others may not, but all of them have an opportunity during this cycle to make their case for World Cup qualifying and, ultimately, a spot on the 2026 World Cup roster.
It all starts now, and it should be fun to follow their development over the next four years.
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
Header_NextGen
With the USMNT manager in place and the new cycle underway it’s time for recently extended Mauricio Pochettino to get some new young players on his radar and what better time to do this than the September/October double FIFA window.
There are several U-23 players like Josh Wynder, Jalen Neal, Rokas Pukstas, Diego Kochen, Jonathan Gomez, Caleb Wiley, Cole Campbell, Chris Brady, Gaga, Slonina, Niko Tsakiris, Damion Downs, and Benjamin Cremaschi who have no caps order less than a handful with the USMNT.
Will USMNT snubs or overlooked players opportunities be during the 2030 cycle look like? Players like Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris and Camron Carter-Vickers to name a few, we have to wonder how or if they will be part of this cycle of players. I would suggest some will likely get the opportunity in the early part of the cycle but will need to be performing n with their club to remain getting called back into camps.
Integrating a few of these youth USMNT players during each window for the first half of the cycle will allow Pochettino to evaluate them up close and see if there might be a role for them during this next cycle.
It’s extremely important that the USMNT have a few on their current U-20 teenagers’ breakthrough and become a reliable part of the USMNT in the second half of the cycle.
The below players will have an opportunity to play in next years U-20 World Cup being hosted by Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan as well as hopefully if their clubs release them being part of the 2028 Olympics USA Football squad to hopefully medal for the first time since 1904 when the US had two teams win Silver and Bronze. I think it’s also important to look at these players alongside some of the core USMNT in the upcoming window to see how they can integrate with one another.
Mathis Albert-17-Winger
Noahkai Banks-19-Centerback
Cole Campbell-20-Midfielder/Winger
Zavier Gozo-19-Winger
Julian Hall-18-Winger
Malik Jakupovic-17-Striker
Adri Mehmeti-17-Central Midfielder
Peyton Miller-18-Left Midfielder/Winger
Neil Pierre-18-Centerback
Cavan Sullivan-16-Attacking Midfielder
Whether we see all of these players, or just a handful, through the first half of the cycle, hopefully leading into another Copa América appearance, it’s clear that the time has come for Pochettino to begin integrating the next generation of USMNT players into the senior pool. How quickly that transition happens will be one of the most interesting storylines to follow.
CHICAGO — Four years on from captaining the United States to their last CONCACAF Under-20 title, Mauricio Cuevas is quietly stepping back into the spotlight. Still only 23 years old, the talented right back just moved abroad, leaving his boyhood Los Angeles Galaxy for Liga MX side Santos Laguna in a summer move that slipped under the radar.
“To be able to get sold to a big club like Santos is a huge step forward for me,” Cuevas said in an exclusive interview this Saturday. “From the first day, I knew the challenge coming into it because the club hasn’t been meeting expectations in the past few years. Coming in and trying to be a difference-maker is something that I wanted. It’s a new challenge for me, and overall I’m just super excited.”
New Challenge in Mexico
As a teenager, Cuevas showcased himself as one of the country’s most exciting young fullbacks. Known for his technical prowess and set piece ability, the L.A. area native spent time at Belgium’s Club Brugge before returning to the Galaxy in 2023. There, he won an MLS Cup in 2024, appearing 78 times in total before his departure this summer.
“It’s always tough leaving home,” Cuevas said. “Obviously, it’s my boyhood club. My family still lives there, and I was great with all the guys at the club as well. I knew everybody, from the staff and the front office to the coaches. It’s never easy when you’re leaving home.”
“Honestly, the people in Torreón and Santos have all welcomed me with open arms since the first day. They’re all amazing people. It’s an amazing club and an amazing city.”
The move to Liga MX made sense from a number of angles; Santos manager Renato Paiva wanted a new right back, Cuevas’s Galaxy contract was winding down, and his Mexican passport made a move south of the border quite easy. Since joining, Santos have faced an extremely difficult run of games against CF Monterrey, Atlas, Club América, and New York City FC — all of which Cuevas started.
“It’s been great, to be honest,” Cuevas said of his adjustment to life in Torreón. “There hasn’t been much of an adjustment tactics-wise or playing-wise because Renato, our head coach, has similar concepts to what we had at the Galaxy. The players are really good as well. There’s so much quality on the team.”
“The only thing I’ve probably had to get adjusted to is the weather. It’s a little too hot out there, the sun is beaming a lot. But I love it, man. It’s a super-calm city. It’s beautiful, with great food and great people.”
Back in the U.S.
The game against NYCFC came in Leagues Cup, a competition with a razor-thin margin for error. To advance past the first round, teams ideally need to earn at least seven points from their three matches; after losing to New York City, qualification for the knockout rounds is now nearly impossible for Santos. They’ll face Gregg Berhalter, Robert Lewandowski, and the Chicago Fire on Sunday (8 p.m. Eastern Time on Apple TV) in a game where anything but a win in 90 minutes would certainly eliminate them.
“I think we go into every game with the belief that every game is a must-win for us, so that doesn’t really change much. We know now that there’s more on top of that, we have even more reason to win. We’re just focused on ourselves tomorrow. We had a long travel day yesterday, so it’s all about recovery now and setting a game plan that puts us in the best position to win.”
Having started against the Fire at Soldier Field in 2024 and facing former youth national team teammates Chris Brady and Sergio Oregel, Cuevas will hope to give something extra in this game and help keep Santos alive in the tournament.
“Any tournament that this club steps into, we always have that goal in mind of wanting to bring that trophy back to Mexico, back to Torreón with us. We’re a competitive club. We’re one of the best clubs, history-wise, in Mexico, so we know what this badge carries.”
USYNT Hero
Coincidentally enough, the U.S. U-20s advanced to a fifth consecutive CONCACAF final on Friday, setting up a date with hosts Mexico at Estadio Azteca on Sunday. The semifinal win also qualified the U.S. for next year’s Pan American Games in Lima, ensuring qualification for back-to-back editions.
In addition to being a central figure in the last U.S. U-20 CONCACAF victory in 2022, Cuevas was part of the last Pan Am Games team in 2023; the U.S. finished fourth in an unusual competition that included several intriguing names like Sergio Oregel, Brooklyn Raines, Danny Leyva, and a then-relatively unknown Alex Freeman. For Cuevas, that tournament was a special memory, and one he remembers fondly.
“I remember the whole trip, to be honest. I made a lot of great friends and met a lot of great people on and off the field, from the staff to the players – people I’m still in contact with. There are some that are in Liga MX as well, Nico (Carrera), Antonio (Carrera), Danny (Leyva).”
“Every player from that age group and that camp has been doing great. It’s lovely to see, to be honest, seeing everybody shine.”
On the immediate horizon for the U.S. is Sunday’s U-20 final (6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on FS2). The Americans will be hoping that this year’s final is more reminiscent of Cuevas’ age group (a 6-0 final win over the Dominican Republic) than the 2024 edition (a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Mexico). As is often the case, the U.S. and Mexico will be without many of their top youth players for the tournament due to its concurrence with club games, but that has opened the door for others.
“We have two players from (Santos) that are representing Mexico, so congrats to them,” Cuevas said. “Huge shout out to (LA Galaxy’s) Ruben Ramos as well and Dylan Vanney, who are with the U.S.; they’ve been killing it. I’m just happy for all those guys. Proud of those guys.”
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