The squad's manager, Mauricio Pochettino, was present at the roster selection day. Since taking over the USMNT position in September 2024, he worked toward this moment, trialing over 80 players in several different formations over the past year and a half.
Pochettino claimed to have many sleepless nights over the past two weeks, receiving just "three, four hours every night" while mulling over his final roster. Nevertheless, the Argentine boss still made some eyebrow-raising selections and cuts to his roster, decisions he quickly became defensive about after the reveal.
Pochettino Refuses to Discuss Omitted Players, Defends Emails
Three notable omissions generated buzz after the roster reveal:
- Tessmann — Lyon midfielder who has been a regular call-up since entering the fold in 2024, even clocking significant minutes in the March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal
- Luna — Real Salt Lake player who was a key component of the USMNT's 2025 squad and has featured in several U.S. Soccer kit advertisements
- Morris — Middlesbrough player who has been a regular call-up for Pochettino, present for the March international window and even starting against Portugal
"We cannot talk about the players that are not in the roster because it is very disrespectful to the players that made the roster," Pochettino said in the press conference when asked about Tessmann's omission in particular. "...For me, that is very disrespectful."
"That was my decision to pick that 26 and now we need to respect that. If one player should be included, then which player is out of the squad? I am going to be focusing on the players that are here [and] I don't want to discuss anything [else] because it's not my job, and I think you have to respect that."
Pochettino grew particularly defensive when asked if any omitted player had reached out to him to talk about the decision. The 54-year-old manager used the question as an opportunity to also address the scrutiny surrounding his decision to email the players as opposed to call them directly.
"I was a player, and when I didn't make the roster, I didn't want the coach of the national team to call me," he said. "I didn't want to ask, 'What is the reason I am not in the roster?' What are they doing to say? Are they going to lie?"
Pochettino was left off Argentina's 1994 and 1998 World Cup rosters as a player, not making his tournament debut until the 2002 edition.
"There were 55 players in the [U.S.] provisional roster," he added to his reasoning for sending emails. "I need to call now the rest of the players? I should call in March. I should call in January camp. It's not the way... Because if I call, it's about myself... Come on, that's bulls---."
Pochettino Dismisses Midfield Concerns
"It's important to see the roster trying to provide the right balance, and of course, I think it's important to have bodies enough in our center back [position]," Pochettino said when asked about the lack of central midfielders on the roster compared to defenders.
"That is why we have five [center backs]. We decided to include the number of five because we wanted to be sure we didn't have any risks."
The roster features:
- Four Central Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan
- Five Center Backs: Mark McKenize, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson, Auston Trusty
Although Pochettino did not elaborate further on the heightened need for center backs, it likely comes down to his desire to try out a back-three formation.