USMNT roster: Weston McKennie snubbed, Christian Pulisic returns to squad for September friendlies

Mauricio Pochettino has appointed its list for the September international window. The United States national male team will host South Korea and Japan In friendly matches during this window, while the clock goes to the World Cup, facing two teams that have already reserved their tickets for the tournament next summer. After being disappointing in the League of Concacaf League game and fell in Mexico in the Gold Cup final, there will be pressure on the USMNT to perform well in these matches, especially for Christian PulisicWho returns to the national team after having removed the Gold Cup game to rest and recover.

But while Pulisic is back, that does not mean all stars are back in the team. Weston McKennie was not called for these matches. McKennie missed the Gold Cup due to the tasks of the Club World Cup with Juventus, but the 26 -year -old has 60 caps for the national team and has not missed a regular camp since September 2024. Folarin Balogun was not called either, with Norwich City Josh Sargent Return to the team in the role of the attacker. Pochettino said McKennie had been excluded from the team because he knows what he could do and the midfielder had a disjointed pre-season due to the club World Cup. He did not reject the need for players to occur, but this exclusion does not close the door of McKennie’s involvement with the national team.

Matt Turner and Zack Steffen did not cut the cut as Matt Freese is the only goalkeeper with a cap in the team. Pochettino will deeply dig into the players’ swimming pool during this September window, because four players can win their first caps for the USMNT, and nine players have less than 10 national team ceilings. This continues a pocket trend of wanting to explore all the options before the World Cup, but raises the question of when Pochettino settles in a basic team. Pochettino has slightly neckline the curtain on what is part of the alignment by speaking of the team.

“For me, all players are important. Individual situations are important, and to analyze and make the decisions and have a plan for them. We have a list of 65 players that we are going to assess each week and it is for them to play and for us to select the best players to make a list with a good balance,” said Pochettino.

“We don’t have much time because we started last October and it was less than a year old and I think that for us, it is important to have the chance to work with the players because we know what some players can provide and now is a chance for different players like Sebastian Berhalter or Luca de la Torre.”

There are only 289 days left for the dismantling of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and this team is not closer to being installed, but this camp will play an important role in which has the chance to embark on a more established team. Some regulars love Sergino Dest,, TIM REAM,, Chris Richards,, Tyler AdamsAnd Pulisic can be there, but with the rotation that occurs in key positions, chemistry will be difficult to find.

List

Goalkeepers (3): Roman celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 7/0), Jonathan Klinsmann (Ceena/Ita; 0/0)

Defenders (8): Max Arfsten (Columbus crew; 10/1), Noahkai banks (FC Augsburg / Ger; 0/0), Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps / Can; 0/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven / Ned; 33/2), Alex Freeman (Orlando City; 7/0), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 1/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 74/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/Eng; 31/3)

Fields (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth / Eng; 50/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps / CAN; 6/0), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC; 12/31), Diego Luna (True salty lake; 12/3), Jack mcglynn (Houston Dynamo; 11/2), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus crew; 1/0)

Attacker (5): Damion Downs (Southampton / Eng; 5/0), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan / Ita; 78/32) Josh Sargent (Norwich / Eng; 28/5), Tim Weah (Marseille / Fra; 44/7), Alex Zendejas (American club / Mex; 11/1)

Mix

Only six players currently in this team were part of the 2022 World Cup team for the USMNT. Pochettino has shown that he will call anyone who, according to him, is suitable for the team and that he is not afraid to make difficult decisions, but with so many changes so close to the World Cup, it is a scratch. Some of the new faces, such as Alex Freeman, have shown that they are ready for the step towards the USMNT in their cameos, but others, like the turner Alex Zendejas, fought during the season. Zendejas has not scored for Club America since his first game of the season, but will have the chance to show why he should be in the World Cup team.

Pochettino has repeatedly stressed that it is the last chance to deeply dig into the players’ swimming pool, which makes it curious about what things will look like at an international window in October which sees the USMNT against Ecuador and in Australia, because it will be closer to the World Cup team.

Sergino Dest returns

Scheduled to make its first appearance for the USMNT since March 2024, DEST will be a welcome show in the camp. He recovered from his tear of the LCA and back in the mixture for PSV, and is now back with the USMNT. DEST was called in the camp before the Gold Cup, but he was not ready to contribute to the team and was sent back to his club. However, to make an appearance under Pochettino, see Dest will be critical because his style takes care of how Pochettino wants the rear. Comfortable pushing high on the ground, the destroyed destroyed with Tim Weah can create a space for Pulisic which has not been seen recently. The camp arrives too early for Antonee Robinson, who resumes her own climax, but when the USMNT obtains the two back -in -action rear, this will radically improve the attack while offering defense continuity, while the position of the goalkeeper is determined.