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

Mauricio Pochettino has mentioned his selection for the international window of September. The national team of the United States will receive South Korea and Japan In friendly competitions during this window, while the clock taps at the World Cup, confronted with two teams who have already booked their tickets for next summer’s tournament. After disappointing in Concacaf Nations Leage Play and Fallen to Mexico in the Gold Cup final, there will be pressure on the USMNT to perform well in these games, especially for Christian Pulisicwho makes his return to the national team after he had agreed for Gold Cup game to rest and restore.

But although Pulisic is back, that does not mean everything stars are back in the team. Weston McKennie was not called up for these competitions. McKennie missed the Gold Cup because of 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 normal camp since September 2024. Disoting captain also not called, with Norwich City’s Josh Sargent His return to the team in the pointed role. Pochettino stated that McKennie from the team was omitted because he knows what he can do and that the midfielder had an incoherent preseason because of the club world cup. He has not rejected the need for players to act, but this exclusion does not close the door with McKennie’s involvement with the national team.

Matt Turner and Zack Steffen did not cut like Matt Freese Is the only goalkeeper with a cap in the team. Pochettino will dig deep in the Pool Pool in this September window, because four players can earn their first caps for the USMNT, and nine players have fewer than 10 national team caps. That remains a Pochettino trend to want to explore all options for the World Cup, but does raise the question when Pochettino will settle on a core team. Pochettino has withdrawn the curtain a bit about what is going on in his selection of selection when he spoke about the team.

“All players are important for me. The individual situations are important, and to analyze and take the decisions and to have a plan for them. We have a selection of 65 players that we are going to judge every week and it is for them to perform and for us to select the best players to make a schedule with a good balance,” Pochettino said.

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

There are only 289 days left until the World Cup 2026 starts in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and this team is not closer to settling, but this camp will play a major role in who has the chance to break into a more regular team. Some regulars love Sergino Dest” Tim Ream” Chris Richards” Tyler AdamsAnd Pulisic can be here, but with rotation in key positions, the chemistry will be difficult to find.

Grille

Keepers (3): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 7/0), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena/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)

Midfielders (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/Eng; 50/2), Sebastian Haalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/Can; 6/0), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC; 31/1), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 12/3), Jack McMlynn ((Houston Dynamo; 11/2), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus crew; 1/0)

Ahead (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 (Club América/Mex; 11/1)

Mixing

Only six players who were currently in this team in the 2022 World Cup team for the USMNT. Pochettino has shown that he will call everyone who, according to him, is suitable for the side and that he is not afraid to make difficult decisions, but with so much change so close to the world cup, it is a Hoofdrolder. Some new faces, such as Alex Freeman, have shown that they are ready for the step to the USMNT in their cameies, but others, such as returner Alex Zendejas, have had difficulty during the season. Since their first game of the season, Zendjas has not scored for Club America, but gets the chance to show why he should be in the World Cup team.

Pochettino repeatedly emphasized that this is the last chance to dig deep into the polar pool, which makes it curious what things will look like during an international window in October that the USMNT sees with Ecuador and Australia, because that comes closer to the World Cup team.

Sergino Dest Returns

Since March 2024, his first performance for the USMNT will make Dest a welcome appearance in the camp. He has recovered from his ACL, and back in the mix for PSV, and is now back with the USMNT. Dest was called in the camp for the Gold Cup, but he was not ready to contribute to the team and was sent back to his club. But to appear under Pochettino, seeing Dest will be crucial because his style fits well with how Pochettino wants to play fullbacks. Comfortably push high on the field, dest overlapping with Tim Weah can create space for Pulisic that has not recently been seen. The camp comes too early for Antonee Robinson, who recovers the fitness himself, but when the USMNT both start starting fullbacks in action, it will drastically improve the attack while the continuity is offered in defense, while the goalkeeper is discovered.