US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has called up several mainstays for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal group match against Jamaica, which will mark the first competitive games for the team since that Pochettino took over.
Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah lead the way in a veteran-laden squad that is quite similar to the one that featured in Pochettino’s first matches last month, a win over Panama and a loss to Mexico. Weah will be working with the new head coach for the first time after missing October’s games with a minor injury, although Pochettino will be without several high-profile players such as Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent and Folarin Balogun, who will miss this year’s games. month due to injuries of his own.
The USMNT will first play Jamaica at Independence Park in Kingston on November 14 before hosting them at Energizer Park in St. Louis four days later.
Here’s a closer look at the list.
USMNT roster
GOALKEEPERS (4): Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona Atletic/ESP; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 29/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 47/0)
DEFENDERS (7): Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 15/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 64/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 23/1) Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 48/4), Miles Robinson ( FC Cincinnati; 3/30), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 0/17), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 3/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 46/8), Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; 15/1), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 17/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 56/11), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 9/0), Yunus Musah (AC Milan; ITA; 43/1), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 4/0), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 16/0)
FORWARDS (6): Cade Cowell (Guadalajara/MEX; 10/1), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 31/11), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 74/31), Brandon Vázquez (Monterrey/MEX; 9/4), Tim Weah (Juventus/ITA; 41/6), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 9/1)
Injury impact selection
Weah is back in the mix for the first time after being eliminated late in the October friendlies, and the same goes for Chris Richards and Johnny Cardoso. Weah, in particular, will not be available for Thursday’s match in Jamaica as he is serving the final match of the suspension he earned during the group stage of the Copa America. He will be with the team in Orlando until they leave for Kingston on Wednesday, and then will join them in St. Louis when they return to the U.S. on Friday.
However, several notable players are still out of the picture: Balogun and Reyna are missing camp for the second straight month, while Sargent recently underwent surgery on a groin injury that will keep him out for two months. Haji Wright was also dropped in the team’s final minute, according to Pochettino.
Midfielder Tyler Adams finally returned from a back injury with a string of appearances for Bournemouth, including his first start this season in Saturday’s loss to Brentford. However, he has not been included in the squad, with the Nations League quarter-finals coming too soon for him, although Pochettino admitted he is a big admirer of the midfielder.
“We know very well that we must take care of it, have [him] in the best conditions for 2026,” he said during a press conference on Sunday. “I know him very well because I think it is public that we wanted to sign him at Chelsea. When we arrived in Chelsea, I remember that in the United States, in Chicago, we had a conversation. We knew about it and then the club didn’t sign him because he was injured. That’s why in the end we can’t but we already know and we know how important it is but we have to give you a good platform to get [to] the best.”
comings and goings
Pochettino rewarded Tanner Tessman, Brandon Vazquez and Alex Zendejas with call-ups this time after the trio made the most of their minutes last month, especially impressive considering they were last-minute additions to the squad in October. They are not the only fringe players to have earned a vote of confidence by being selected for this month’s matches – striker Cade Cowell and goalkeeper Diego Kochen will also receive their first looks from Pochettino.
The new coach, however, chose to leave some players at home after seeing them a month ago. Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath was excluded from this month’s list, as were defenders Marlon Fossey and Kristoffer Lund. The exclusions of Fossey and Lund technically leave the USMNT a little short at their fullback positions, with only Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally looking like the obvious options there. Pochettino said he made that decision because he wanted more midfielders and forwards in the squad, but also because he felt the team had options elsewhere.
“I think today in football in recent years, you see teams like Manchester City, Arsenal and company, I think we can see that a centre-back can play like a full-back,” he said. “Tim Ream, yesterday [in Charlotte FC’s MLS Cup Playoffs game against Orlando City]He played as a winger. For me, he is a center back but he played left back. He can play. It depends on the dynamics of the game… I think we all agree that Yunus Musah can play as a full-back, maybe as a right-back. Against Real Madrid [in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League match]played in a fantastic way and they won the game with [AC] Milan. “I think he is another player who can perform there, he can play.”
