Before last week’s stunning 5-1 demolition of Uruguay by the United States men’s national team in Tampa last week, a trusted source told me something interesting: “I suspect that at least one big name won’t make this World Cup roster.”
The conversation stuck with me as the Americans poured in goal after goal on La Celeste, a two-time World Cup champion. Afterward, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino made it even more clear that he wasn’t kidding when he said that there are no such things as “regulars” in his squad.
Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT wrapped up 2025 with two wins. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
Pochettino started 20 different players across the two hugely impressive November wins over Uruguay and Paraguay. The Uruguay win was easily the USMNT’s best performance since Pochettino – the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur coach – was hired to steer a listless American squad steadily toward the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
That he did it despite a glut of injures to some of the country’s most decorated and battle-tested players — forward Christian Pulisic, midfielder Tyler Adams, center-back Chris Richards and right-back Antonee “Jedi” Robinson among them — proved that the roster the Argentine is constructing will be both deep and capable of standing toe-to-toe with the game’s superpowers next June and July.
The high quality problem it creates? Because only 26 World Cup spots are available, several deserving players won’t get a golden ticket to the greatest show in sports.
With the USMNT now idle for four months, the competition for places will now continue at club level both at home and overseas. The 71 players Pochettino looked at up close during his first 14 months in charge will be vying for one last chance to impress next March against Belgium and Portugal – the Americans’ final two games before the World Cup roster is announced.
Who will be on it? And will one or more of the 2022 World Cup headliners indeed be left standing in the cold? Here’s our projection as matters stand today:
JUMP TO: Goalkeepers | Center backs | Fullbacks | Holding Midfielders | Wingers/Attacking Midfielders | Strikers
GOALKEEPERS
Matt Freese remains looked in as the starter. (Photo by Michael Pimentel/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
As goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez worked out Freese, Schulte, Celentano and Klinsmann the day before the Uruguay game, I sidled up to the recently retired Brad Guzan, who was at both November games as part of TNT’s broadcast crew, and joked that he could still compete for a keeper spot.
Guzan just chuckled. Now 41, the Premier League vet was getting deserved national team buzz as recently as a year ago, after backstopping Atlanta United over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs. That speaks as much to the program’s lack of depth in goal as much as anything else.
Here’s what we think we know – Freese is Pochettino’s clear World Cup starter, and the coach is trying to give him as much reps as possible all the way up to June 12. And if he wasn’t among the four keepers summoned in November, Turner has to be the No. 2 option.
Brady, Celentano and Klinsmann remain uncapped. Schulte has played just three friendly games at the senior international level. Who knows how any of the three would handle being thrust onto the biggest stage possible. If Freese gets injured or misses any time at the World Cup, Turner is a proven World Cup performer with more than 50 national team appearances under his belt. He has to be there.
As for the third keeper? Steffen will have been out of the picture for 14 months by March. Having played four games for the U.S. at the 2024 Olympics, Schulte is the pick by default. The dark horse is Kochen, especially if he gets a game or two for Barcelona — where Jimenez is based — later this season and plays well.
CENTER BACKS
Tim Ream is looking like he’ll be commanding the backline in 2026. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Nothing happened in November that would suggest that Richards and Ream aren’t still Pochettino’s two best options in the heart of the American defense. That’s even more true in a four-man back line, which the U.S. boss used in both games this month after experimenting with a three-center-back system earlier in the fall.
The two goals conceded weren’t down to individual mistakes as much as poor collective defending; Pochettino was particularly unhappy with the way Uruguay scored at the end of the first half.
Still, with Richards staying with his club Crystal Palace to nurse a sore calf and Ream rested against La Celeste after going 90 minutes against Paraguay, McKenzie and Trusty got an opportunity and helped themselves overall.
After going nearly three years between U.S. starts, Trusty is now firmly in the World Cup mix. But don’t sleep on the 18-year-old Banks, who has started six of the last seven games for Augsburg in Germany’s Bundesliga.
FULLBACKS
Alex Freeman is one of the USMNT breakout players. (Photo by MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Jedi will be the starter if healthy and available, but Arfsten has proven to be a capable deputy on the left side, and he led the USMNT in assists in 2025. With Dest apparently viewed as a winger now, the right-back spot is Freeman’s to lose following his jaw-dropping two-goal display against Uruguay.
Weah could have something to say about that, though. A bolted on starter for five years, Weah is no longer a lock under Pochettino. He’s also playing as a right wingback for French titans Marseille; on Tuesday in the Champions League, Weah helped set up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s winner over English side Newcastle.
Jedi’s injury woes create a domino effect whereby the U.S. needs another left back. Tolkin got the start in the USMNT’s final match of the year and played well, giving him a slight edge over Scally and Lund. At least for now.
HOLDING MIDFIELDERS
Tanner Tessmann is emerging as a viable option in a deep midfield. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
With a goal off the bench against the Uruguayans, Tessmann continued to cement himself as a key man in central midfield. Adams missed the November games because of injury, but he was back in Premier League Bournemouth’s lineup in the Cherries first match after the international break.
Berhalter’s beautiful goal against Uruguay probably secured his spot on the World Cup roster; now he’ll try to lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to an MLS Cup title. Roldan keeps helping the Americans win. Morris did that in November, too, but he probably falls victim to the numbers game if the guys in front of him stay healthy and available.
Cardoso and Musah simply aren’t playing. Last weekend, they were unused substitutes for Atlético Madrid and Atalanta, respectively. Unless and until that changes, they’ll remain on the outside of the bubble despite their obvious pedigree.
WINGERS/ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie are also locked in. (Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Dest started both November exhibitions in a more attacking position, which helps paper over some of the crafty veteran’s defensive shortcomings. That’s his spot until further notice.
McKennie’s attacking ability was on display on Tuesday in Norway, where his powerful headed goal helped Juventus beat Bodo/Glimt in Champions League play.
McKennie was the latest American who wasn’t involved with the national team this month to score for his club in recent days. Weah scored for Marseille last week. On Sunday, Pulisic had AC Milan’s winner over rival Inter, while Tillman scored for Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, then on Tuesday helped the German club snap Manchester City’s 23-game unbeaten streak in the first round of the Champions League.
But Reyna might have been the biggest winner, having scored against Paraguay and set up Tessmann’s strike three days later. “I definitely expect when I get back, to definitely start more matches” for Borussia Mönchengladbach, Reyna said between games. If that happens — and if he performs well and avoids the injuries that have derailed his career — he’ll be there.
STRIKERS
Folarin Balogun keeps on scoring. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
Balogun’s match-winning goal against Paraguay was his third in as many starts. He’s the clear starter up top now, not least with Pepi once again struggling for regular minutes at PSV Eindhoven.
Wright had a quiet camp compared to his two-goal outburst in October, perhaps because of the muscle ailment he was diagnosed with upon his return to Coventry City in England’s second tier.
Those three are well ahead of the pack right now, though Agyemang — who started five games for Derby County this month — is probably best positioned to challenge that pecking order in the months ahead.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.
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