As the U.S. men's national team enters a new era, head coach Mauricio Pochettino has named a 28-player roster full of fresh faces.
The USMNT is set to play its first four matches after the 2026 World Cup, with Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada the opponents in the newly expanded September-October FIFA window.
On Thursday, Sept. 17, Pochettino released a squad that included 12 first-time call-ups as the USMNT takes its first steps toward the 2030 World Cup.
"This is the beginning of a fresh start for everyone and we are excited in these first matches to bring a group of experienced players along with some young talents who have great potential,” Pochettino said.
“It will be important that they all understand our culture, our way of working, and of course
the principles of how we want to play. Most importantly, they must show the commitment to representing the country in the way our fans deserve.”
Pochettino will also be starting a new era, having signed a contract extension through the 2030 World Cup last month.
Here are three takeaways from Pochettino's first roster of the new cycle.
Youth is served
Nearly half of the roster is uncapped players, with 13 included. Of those 13, only goalkeeper Diego Kochen has been called into a senior camp before.
That has led to an average age of 22 years and nine months for this roster — more than four years younger than the World Cup squad.
Some of the biggest prospects in the pipeline are present, including six players 18 or younger: Mathis Albert, Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, Peyton Miller, Neil Pierre and Cavan Sullivan.
Sullivan, at 16, is the headliner amid a campaign that has seen him emerge as one of the best players in MLS despite his age. But many believe Albert, 17, is right there with him as a prospect, though the winger has yet to earn extensive senior minutes at Borussia Dortmund this season.
Mehmeti is also considered a future USMNT mainstay, and the New York Red Bulls midfielder will get a chance to learn from Tyler Adams, a player 10 years his senior who also came up through the Red Bulls academy.
Among the five forwards called in, only Ricardo Pepi has played for the USMNT before. In addition to Hall and Sullivan, Orlando City's Justin Ellis, 19, has been rewarded for a breakout campaign, and Cole Campbell, 20, gets his first call after a strong start in the Bundesliga with Elversberg.
Several mainstays miss the cut
With so many new faces in camp, there had to be some familiar ones to make way. And so it has proven, with Pochettino omitting several names who have been mainstays.
The headliners are Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun, though both should still be big parts of the team in the years ahead. Pulisic has only just returned for AC Milan after working his way back from an injury suffered in the World Cup.
Balogun has yet to play for Monaco this season after a failed transfer to Everton and a minor knee injury, though he could return as soon as Friday, Sept. 18.
Weston McKennie is also omitted, though he is currently injured.
Others have been left off despite being healthy, including World Cup captain Tim Ream, who turns 39 next month and may finally be nearing the end of an excellent USMNT career.
Some other seemingly healthy World Cup roster members have missed the cut, including Max Arfsten, Alejandro Zendejas, Brenden Aaronson, Joe Scally and Mark McKenzie.
Goalkeeper battle is wide open
Matt Freese is on the squad after his blunder against Belgium in the World Cup, but the battle to be the USMNT's starting goalkeeper should still be wide open.
Freese is the incumbent, but he should face challenges from all three of the other keepers on the roster. Those include Brian Schwake, who is having hugely impressive season with Nashville SC. The 25-year-old has statistically been among the best MLS goalkeepers all campaign, continuing a rapid rise in his first year as a starter.
Kochen has also impressed with Danish Superliga club Lyngby, where he's received his first taste of senior minutes while on loan from Barcelona.
Chris Brady has also continued to shine in MLS and the World Cup third-stringer may get his second cap in this window.
One notable name to miss out is Matt Turner, the starter at the 2022 World Cup and the backup this summer.
USMNT roster (club; caps/goals)
Goalkeepers (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; 1/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 19/0), Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub/DEN; 0/0), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC; 0/0)
Defenders (10): George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion FC/ENG; 1/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 44/3), Alex Freeman (Villarreal/ESP; 22/3), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution; 0/0), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 40/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 58/5), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 41/3), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 10/1), Frankie Westfield (Philadelphia Union; 0/0)
Midfielders (9): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth/ENG; 58/2), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 0/0), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough/ENG; 18/2), Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace/ENG; 0/0), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York; 0/0), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 47/1), Brooklyn Raines (New England Revolution; 0/0), Gio Reyna (RC Strasbourg Alsace/FRA; 43/10), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 35/5)
Forwards (5): Cole Campbell (SV Elversberg/GER; 0/0); Justin Ellis (Orlando City SC; 0/0), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York; 0/0), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 42/13), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 0/0)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USMNT roster reveal: Pochettino names 12 newcomers for first post-World Cup squad
