Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday will name his U.S. national team squad for this month’s heavyweight friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, and while it’s not his World Cup roster, it’s going to fall pretty close.
Accordingly, the fabric of Pochettino’s first camp in four months — and the last before soccer’s summer bash in North America — has kindled speculation through the winter.
Advertisement
Experimentation is all but over and most slots — both this month’s and this summer’s — seem effectively settled. But intrigue persists around Gio Reyna, Noahkai Banks and others in nebulous standing.
[Yahoo Fantasy Bracket Mayhem: Fill out brackets for your shot at $50K]
Who will make the cut Tuesday?
First, let’s rule out those with injuries, returning from injuries or integrating into a new club: right back Sergiño Dest, midfielders James Sands, Diego Luna and Luca de la Torre and forward Josh Sargent.
Sergiño Dest will miss the March friendlies with the USMNT because of injury but could return in time for the World Cup.
(REUTERS / REUTERS)
A vital piece in Pochettino’s lineup, Dest is the only one in that group certain of going to the World Cup — if healthy. The hamstring strain he suffered at PSV Eindhoven last weekend will sideline him six to eight weeks, Yahoo Sports has learned.
Advertisement
The timetable runs into late April or early May, but that’s without setbacks. The Dutch Eredivisie season ends May 17. With the 26-man World Cup squad to be revealed nine days later, Pochettino will need to know Dest is, if not starting for PSV, at least on a pathway to playing in the tuneups against Senegal on May 31 in Charlotte and Germany on June 6 in Chicago.
Sands underwent ankle surgery last week and will miss the rest of St. Pauli’s Bundesliga season. Luna, a common U.S. call-up in 2025, made his 2026 debut for Real Salt Lake on Saturday, logging about 20 minutes after missing three matches with a knee injury.
De la Torre (Charlotte) is out with a head injury, while Sargent, in his first appearance since Jan. 4, made his Toronto debut as a sub Saturday after transferring from England’s Norwich City. Even if playing regularly, Sargent faces long odds of overtaking productive colleagues for a World Cup berth.
USMNT roster projections for March friendlies
As for Pochettino’s probable choices for the friendlies in Atlanta against Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on March 31 …
Advertisement
Goalkeepers: New York City’s Matt Freese, New England’s Matt Turner and Columbus’ Patrick Schulte lead the way. Although Pochettino will select three for the World Cup, he has invited four to the previous two camps, leaving Chicago’s Chris Brady as the probable choice.
On the bubble: Jonathan Klinsmann is the full-time starter for Cesena in Italy’s Serie B and has been invited to U.S. camps.
Center backs: This camp figured to showcase the 19-year-old Banks, who is ascending in the Bundesliga for Augsburg. He has played for U.S. youth teams but never for the senior squad, though he was invited to camp in September.
Having left open the door to represent Germany, the Hawaii-born dual national reportedly will not be in U.S. camp. If that is the case, it’s hard to imagine his U.S. presence this summer.
Chris Richards has emerged as one of the USMNT’s more experienced center backs as the team builds toward the World Cup.
(Rene Nijhuis/MB Media via Getty Images)
For Pochettino, it’s a worrying position. Camp this month will include Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards, Charlotte’s Tim Ream and Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie.
Advertisement
On the bubble: Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson or Celtic’s Auston Trusty (or perhaps both) will make the list.
Wing backs/fullbacks: Dest’s injury and Alex Freeman’s scant playing time since joining Spain’s Villarreal from Orlando City has raised concerns about the right side. Tim Weah, a U.S. attacking element who plays in the back for France’s Olympique Marseille, is a solution.
On the left side, Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, who played 90 minutes against Nottingham Forest on Sunday after inconsistent time in recent weeks because of injury issues, seems certain to join Columbus’ Max Arfsten.
On the bubble: Given the issues on the right, German-based Joe Scally, a 2022 World Cup member with 21 starts this season for Mönchengladbach, is under consideration.
Advertisement
Defensive midfielders: For precautionary reasons, Tyler Adams did not play for Bournemouth on Saturday after feeling discomfort in training. If there aren’t lingering concerns, he will report to camp.
Tanner Tessmann has established himself in this position for both Lyon and the U.S., and on Sunday, his French club deployed him in central defense. Perhaps he becomes a backline option for Pochettino?
Johnny Cardoso has never performed well on international duty, but his rise at Atlético Madrid should earn a call-up. Seattle’s Cristian Roldan has won over Pochettino with his work rate and experience.
On the bubble: Aidan Morris has been among Middlesbrough’s best players in its promising fight for Premier League promotion.
Christian Pulisic remains the driving force of the USMNT attack.
(REUTERS / REUTERS)
Attacking midfielders: If healthy, AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic and Juventus’ Weston McKennie are locks. Pulisic, though, has gone 11 consecutive club matches and 13 of 14 without a goal. McKennie’s multi-dimensions in Italy allow Pochettino to use him in any number of roles.
Advertisement
Bayer Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman, Leeds’ Brenden Aaronson and Vancouver’s Sebastian Berhalter (two goals, four assists in four MLS matches) provide disparate skill sets.
After an impressive showing at November camp, Reyna was back on track for the World Cup, but in 2026, has received just 26 minutes for Germany’s Mönchengladbach. Knowing Reyna’s capacity for influencing the game, Pochettino could call him anyway. With so little match repetition, though, he might be out of the picture for good.
On the bubble: Winger Alex Zendejas is Club America’s best player but has missed several matches with injuries and hasn’t played for the U.S. since scoring against Japan in September.
Strikers: Folarin Balogun is the clear-cut starter, having scored in three straight and five of six for Monaco to raise his totals to eight in Ligue 1 and 14 overall. His finishing instincts were on display Saturday when he pounced in the 19th minute for the first goal in a 2-0 victory over Brest.
Advertisement
Haji Wright — a key figure in Coventry City’s almost-inevitable promotion to the Premier League — has scored in four of his past six appearances and sits second on the English Championship chart with 16 goals.
PSV Eindhoven’s oft-injured Ricardo Pepi has roared back into Pochettino’s good graces with goals in eight of his past 12 appearances. Derby County’s Patrick Agyemang, who plays at Portsmouth on Monday, has gone a month without a goal but recorded 10 in his first season overseas.
On the bubble: Vancouver’s Brian White scored twice in a 6-0 rout of Minnesota on Monday, raising his total to five in four matches.
Read the full article here
