NEW YORK (AP) — Christian Pulisic is one of several key players set to sit out as the United States competes in next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, adding further challenge to a squad fresh off poor showings at both the Copa America and the CONCACAF Nations League.
Considering the current gaps, Coach Mauricio Pochettino seeks players who can reassure concerned supporters that a recovery is imminent.
It’s our duty to convey this message,” he stated during a Zoom press briefing on Thursday following the announcement of his 27-player squad list. “Our supporters should witness our team putting up a strong fight, competing, delivering their best performance in each match—confronting the aggression of the opposition head-on with determination for the flag.
Pulisic, the leading U.S. player, requested not to be included in the lineup for the final qualifying matches ahead of the 2026 World Cup. He aimed to take some time off after appearing in roughly 120 games for both his club and national team across two seasons.
Yunus Musah was also put forward for selection, but Antonee Robinson did not make the cut due to his ongoing injury issues. Meanwhile, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna were unavailable as FIFA prioritized the expanded Club World Cup over international team commitments.
Josh Sargent, Joe Scally, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Tanner Tessman did not make the cut according to what Pochettino referred to as “decisions based on football rationale.”
Matt Crocker, the U.S. Soccer Federation’s sporting director, stated that both Pulisic and his representatives requested the option to exclude him from consideration due to the significant number of matches he has participated in over the past two years.
numerous individuals might emphasize how crucial it is for everyone to unite one final time before the World Cup,” Pochettino stated. “We concluded that our choice serves the best interests of the player, the squad, and also the national team.
Following the team’s early exit from the Copa America last summer, Pochettino took over from Gregg Berhalter. Post-Gold Cup, he’ll only have four short training periods during FIFA international dates before players convene for the World Cup preparations.
During their initial major challenge since Pochettino took over, the American players suffered defeat.
Panama
and
Canada
In the Nations League in March, without directly stating that the players were lackadaisical, Pochettino mentioned, “We gained significant insights from our previous training sessions, certainly those held in March, and now we’re looking at possibly adopting a new strategy when facing such chances.”
Out of all the selected players, sixteen come from Major League Soccer, which is the highest number for a FIFA transfer period since the United States fielded a secondary squad for the 2023 Gold Cup.
If you come to the camp wanting to enjoy your time, play golf, have dinner, meet my family, visit friends—that’s the kind of atmosphere we aim to cultivate,” Pochettino questioned loudly. “But no, no, no, no, no. Our objective should be joining the national team with complete concentration and dedicating all our attention and effort to the team. To excel within a year, every single day must hold immense significance.
Sergiño Dest comes back to the national team as an outside defender for the first time since March 2024 following his recovery.
torn ACL
Forward Folarin Balogun has rejoined the squad for the first time since last September after recovering from shoulder surgery.
In Pochettino’s squad was Alex Freeman, whose father is the ex-NFL All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Freeman. This 20-year-old right-back player debuted in Major League Soccer with Orlando in April 2023; he played just one league game that season. Last year, he appeared twice in MLS matches and has since established himself as a consistent starter this term.
Sebastian Berhalter, a 24-year-old midfielder and the son of
the former coach
, also making his debut alongside 20-year-old forward Damion Downs and 21-year-old defender Quinn Sullivan.
Downs has represented both German and American youth squads, and contributed to Cologne earning their return to the Bundesliga for the 2025-26 season following a one-year hiatus.
Matt Freese, who has participated in previous national team camps but hasn’t yet played in a match, was also chosen for selection.
The players will begin arriving for practice sessions in Chicago starting June 1st, with the final 26-player roster for the Gold Cup needing to be submitted by June 4th. The United States team is scheduled to face Turkey on June 7th in East Hartford, Connecticut, followed by a match against Switzerland three days later in Nashville, Tennessee. They will also compete against Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia, and Haiti during the initial stages of the Gold Cup tournament.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (New York City), Patrick Schulte (Columbus), Zack Steffen (Colorado), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)
Protecting Players: Max Arfsten (Columbus), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando), DeJuan Jones (San Jose), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati)
The midfielders include Brenden Aaronson from Leeds, Tyler Adams at Bournemouth, Sebastian Berhalter with Vancouver, Johnny Cardoso playing for Real Betis, Luca de la Torre based in San Diego, Diego Luna representing Salt Lake, Jack McGlynn of Houston, Quinn Sullivan who plays for Philadelphia, Malik Tillman at PSV Eindhoven, and Sean Zawadzki from Columbus.
Forward: Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte), Folarin Balogun (Monaco). Damion Downs (Cologne), Brian White (Vancouver), Haji Wright (Coventry)
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AP soccer:
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Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
