Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie will return to the U.S. men’s national team for the first time since the World Cup as the Americans re-convene next week ahead of a two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti.
The 25-man roster named by coach Mauricio Pochettino on Wednesday includes what is likely the United States’ best 11, including its entire starting lineup from the World Cup with the exception of the retired Tim Ream.
Given that this is the first meaningful competition the U.S. has played since then, that was largely expected. While favored against Haiti, the U.S. has suffered shocks in the Nations League before, including as recently as 2025, when it finished fourth.
The likes of Alex Freeman, Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman were all included in the roster along with the pool’s two best center backs, Chris Richards and Auston Trusty.
Matt Freese, the World Cup starter in net, was called in, though it will be interesting to see whether Pochettino taps Brian Schwake or Diego Kochen to play ahead of the NYCFC man.
Behind his written-in-pen best players, however — those 10, plus Sebastian Berhalter and Gio Reyna — Pochettino opted to go for a bench that looks more like the youthful roster he brought to September and October camp.
Cavan Sullivan, the 17-year-old Philadelphia Union wunderkind, is unsurprisingly back.
So too are Red Bulls teenagers Julian Hall and Adri Mehmeti, along with September/October center back call-ins Neil Pierre and George Campbell.
Hall, Balogun and Orlando City’s Justin Ellis are the three true strikers on the roster. Mathis Albert, the 17-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder, will also return for another go-around.
Balogun’s breakthrough World Cup eventually was marked by the controversial overturning of his red-card ban following the Round of 32, and Pulisic’s injury-plagued tournament ended with an ineffective outing against Belgium in a meek Round of 16 elimination.
The mostly common thread of the roster is that 19 of the players are the same as in September and October, when the U.S. won all four of its friendly matches, including against CONCACAF rivals Mexico and Canada.
Nashville SC right back Reed Baker-Whiting and SC Paderborn midfielder Santiago Castañeda are the only two uncapped players to be called in.
Stade-Rennais right back Bryan Reynolds, whose last cap was in 2023, was a surprise call-in as well ahead of Joe Scally, the Long Island native who was on the World Cup roster and has played well lately at the same position.
The first leg against Haiti is a week from Saturday, with a “road” game being held in Miami due to security concerns in Port-au-Prince.
Full roster by position:
Goalkeepers (3): Matt Freese (New York City FC; 20/0), Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub/DEN; 2/0), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC; 2/0)
Defenders (9): Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville SC; 0/0), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion FC/ENG; 3/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 46/3), Alex Freeman (Villarreal/ESP; 26/3), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union; 3/0), Bryan Reynolds (Stade Rennais/FRA; 7/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 43/4), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 62/5), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 14/1)
Midfielders (8): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth/ENG; 62/2), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 4/1), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough/ENG; 22/4), Santiago Castañeda (SC Paderborn/GER; 0/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 71/12), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York; 3/0), Gio Reyna (RC Strasbourg Alsace/FRA; 47/10), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 39/7)
Forwards (5): Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 31/12), Justin Ellis (Orlando City SC; 3/2), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York; 4/3), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 90/33), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 3/1)
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