Mauricio Pochettino, head coach of the United States men’s national team, has announced his 26-man roster for the upcoming World Cup. Among the notable selections are Borussia Mönchengladbach players Gio Reyna and Joe Scally, along with Club América forward Alejandro Zendejas, as confirmed by sources to ESPN.
The roster was initially reported by The Guardian and will be officially revealed at an event in New York City on Tuesday.
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The squad also includes expected selections such as Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Weston McKennie (Juventus), and Tyler Adams (Bournemouth). In total, 13 players will be making their World Cup debut.
Despite not starting a match for his club since December, Reyna has been included due to his unique creativity and ability to produce unexpected plays, as noted by Pochettino, according to The Athletic.
A surprising omission from the roster is Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann, who had been sidelined due to a reported muscle injury but was anticipated to recover in time for the tournament.
Pochettino has previously demonstrated caution regarding player fitness when selecting his lineups, and this roster reflects that approach.
Overall, the roster closely resembles the ESPN Big Board published recently. Zendejas made a strong case for inclusion with impressive performances for América, scoring four goals and assisting twice in his last five Liga MX playoff matches.
Zendejas’ presence likely contributed to the exclusion of Diego Luna from Real Salt Lake, who was considered a strong contender after his solid performances. He will have to wait for future opportunities.
The roster is particularly defender-heavy, featuring 10 players in that position. Pochettino has included Scally, Reyna’s teammate, despite Scally being perceived as lower on the depth chart compared to players like Sergiño Dest and Alex Freeman.
Scally’s versatility, having played various defensive roles for Gladbach this past season, likely contributed to his selection.
With Tessmann absent, the midfield appears a bit thin, including only four players: Adams, McKennie, Sebastian Berhalter and Cristian Roldan. However, Bayer Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman could potentially shift to a deeper midfield role if required.
While Pochettino’s announcement is set for Tuesday, he has until June 1 to finalize the roster with FIFA. After that date, player changes can occur only in the case of serious injury or illness up to 24 hours before the first match.
The USMNT will kick off its World Cup campaign on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Full USMNT World Cup roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire, 0 caps/0 goals), Matt Freese (New York City, 14/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution, 53/0)
Defenders (10): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew, 18/1), Sergiño Dest (PSV, 37/2), Alex Freeman (Villarreal, 15/2), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse, 27/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC, 80/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, 36/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 52/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati, 38/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 24/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic, 6/0)
Midfielders (4): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth, 52/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps, 11/1), Weston McKennie (Juventus, 64/12), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders, 45/0)
Attacking midfielders/wingers (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United, 57/9), Christian Pulisic (Milan, 84/32), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 36/9), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen, 28/3), Tim Weah (Marseille, 49/7), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América, 13/2)
Strikers (3): Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco, 25/8), Ricardo Pepi (PSV, 35/13), Haji Wright (Coventry City, 20/7)