USMNT roster prediction: Who will Mauricio Pochettino summon for his first competitive games?

By Doug McIntyre
Published

This much we know about Mauricio Pochettino's second roster as coach of the U.S. men's national team, which will be announced on Sunday.

This squad will be smaller.

Pochettino selected 26 players last month for his first USMNT training camp, which included a 2-0 debut win over Panama at home and a loss by the same score away to Mexico. Those two matches, of course, were friendlies. The November home-and-home series against Jamaica in the Nations League quarterfinals counts, and Concacaf limits its squads to just 23 players.

That's three fewer places right there. Add in the return of several regulars from injury — three were forced to withdraw from the October roster in the days after it was named — and a few more players who were involved last month also figure to be omitted, even if Pochettino decides to bring an extra guy or two as cover.

So, who will get the call for the Nov. 14 visit to Kingston and the rematch in St. Louis four days later? Here are some of the factors that could inform Pochettino's picks, followed by a prediction.

This is not the time to experiment

There will be at least a few different faces this time, but those expecting major changes will be disappointed. Pochettino summoned almost the exact same group for his maiden camp that interim coach Mikey Varas invited in September. He has committed to assessing the existing USMNT assistant coaches and support staff through the final two international windows of 2024 before determining who will remain with the program in the lead-up to the all-important 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil.

With a place in the Nations League finals in March at stake, the new boss will surely rely on mostly the same core once again.

Pochettino will have Tim Weah available this time, sort of: Weah is suspended for the opener because of the red card he received at the Copa América. Weah projects to start the home leg, and Juventus teammate Weston McKennie should also get his first minutes under Poch after not featuring versus Panama or Mexico as a precaution. Like the banged-up McKennie, star forward Christian Pulisic returned to his club before the loss to El Tri, as did striker Ricardo Pepi. If healthy, all four will be involved in both contests with the Reggae Boyz.

Will Tyler Adams return this month?

It's possible, but not guaranteed. Adams is an automatic U.S. starter when fit, and last weekend he was able to help Bournemouth stun mighty Manchester City in Premier League play.

On the flip side, that was Adams second appearance for the Cherries in 2024-25, his third consecutive season beset by injury. If Pochettino believes that Adams isn't yet match fit enough to occupy a major role against the most physical opponent in Concacaf, he could determine that the hard-running central midfielder — and, by extension, the USMNT — would be best served long-term by having Adams remain in England this month.

Pochettino has several tough choices to make

The next man up in Adams' destroyer role is still probably Johnny Cardoso, who was injured in October. Now Cardoso is back. Where does that leave Tanner Tessmann, who was added last month specifically to replace him? Tessmann, an unused sub for French club Lyon last weekend, could be among those squeezed out this month.

The numbers crunch could also cost Alex Zendejas, one of the USMNT's few bright spots against Mexico — though Zendejas did score in Club America's 2-1 Liga MX victory over Pachuca on Wednesday night. Zendejas replaced Weah in October.

Striker Brandon Vázquez, another late add last time, has perhaps the best chance of sticking around. With Josh Sargent scheduled for groin surgery and Folarin Balogun still sidelined with the dislocated shoulder he suffered on the eve of the October window, Vázquez, who also impressed during his cameo in Guadalajara, and Pepi could vie for the starting job against Jamaica despite usually serving as substitutes for their clubs. Haji Wright, a natural center forward who has spent the last two seasons as a winger with Coventry in England's second tier, might also be in the mix up front.

Full roster prediction

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Patrick Schulte, Matt Turner, 

Fullbacks: Kristoffer Lund, Antonee "Jedi" Robinson, Joe Scally

Center backs: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Miles Robinson, Auston Trusty

Midfielders: Gianluca Busio, Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris

Wingers: Brenden Aaronson, Yunus Musah,  Malik Tillman, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Haji Wright

Strikers: Ricardo Pepi, Brandon Vázquez

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. A staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he has covered United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.