Mauricio Pochettino, the current USMNT coach, has been questioned on multiple occasions about the list of players selected, and the latest call-up has been no exception.
After these questions, Pochettino was involved in a tense moment during the press conference in which he presented the October squad for the friendlies against Ecuador and Australia.
It all happened when journalist Jeff Carlisle asked him about the absence of Yunus Musah and Joe Scally, as well as asking him about the competition between Patrick Agyemang, Folarin Balogun and Haji Wright up front.
Mauricio Pochettino responds to criticism of his squad
The Argentine coach’s response was surprising: “The next time you give me the list and then we discuss. We never explain to the players who are not there why they were not called, so I’m not going to do it here.”
His words generated an immediate debate. Former footballer and ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez criticized the coach’s tone, pointing out that Carlisle is one of the most respected journalists in the country and that the question had been simple. For Gomez, Pochettino’s response was “combative” and reflected an attitude of “who are you to question me?”
Later, Pochettino himself qualified his position, explaining that when asking about absences, it conveys the idea that some players “have the right” to be called up, which detracts from the merit of the 26 chosen. The coach stressed that he is looking for a balance within the group and that players who are not in the squad today could be considered in future lists.
We always try to create the best possible squad and the names you mention may be with us in the future
USMNT squad list
The squad included figures such as Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Weston McKennie (Juventus) and Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), along with youngsters such as Patrick Agyemang and Diego Luna. Experienced defenders such as Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson also return.
Goalkeepers:
- Chris Brady (Chicago Fire)
- Matt Freese (New York City FC)
- Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew)
- Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders:
- Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew)
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic)
- Alex Freeman (Orlando City)
- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse FC)
- Tim Ream (Charlotte FC)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati)
Midfielders:
- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United)
- Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
- Weston McKennie (Juventus)
- Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough)
- Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)
- James Sands (FC St. Pauli)
- Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon)
- Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards:
- Patrick Agyemang (Derby County)
- Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco)
- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
- Tim Weah (Marseille)
- Haji Wright (Coventry City)
- Alex Zendejas (Club America)
With friendlies just around the corner and the Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup getting closer and closer, Pochettino’s challenge will not only be to consolidate a competitive team, but also to remain calm in media management.
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