Gio Reyna, Sebastian Berhalter, and Alejandro Zendejas were named in Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-player United States squad for the World Cup, while Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann were left out of the final group. The roster also brought back Sergiño Dest, Tyler Adams, and Haji Wright after injuries kept them out of March friendlies.
Pochettino’s choices highlight a squad built around experience, European-based talent, and several players who have already lived through the pressure of a World Cup. The final list also reflects some sharp personnel decisions, including the return of Reyna and Berhalter and the omission of Luna, who had been a regular presence in international play before a knee injury.
Reyna gets another major chance
Reyna remains one of the most closely watched names on the U.S. roster because of both his talent and his complicated national-team history. The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder was nearly sent home during the 2022 World Cup by then-coach Gregg Berhalter for a perceived lack of effort, but Pochettino now views him as a “special player.”
That backing matters because Reyna has had a limited club role this season. He started only four matches for Borussia Mönchengladbach and had not started since December 19, yet he still earned a place in a World Cup squad that values technical quality and attacking versatility.
Sebastian Berhalter earns his place
Sebastian Berhalter, the 25-year-old son of former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter, made his national-team debut in June and quickly became one of the team’s best corner takers. His inclusion suggests Pochettino values set-piece delivery as well as midfield balance in a roster with several established names.
Berhalter’s rise also gives the group another player who has shown he can contribute in specific situations rather than simply fill a depth role. In a short tournament roster, those details can matter as much as reputation.
Why Luna and Tessmann missed out
Luna was one of the more notable omissions after missing March matches because of a knee injury. He had played in 17 of the team’s 18 internationals last year, which made his exclusion more surprising to outside observers.
Tessmann also missed the cut despite being part of the March roster. He was among the midfielders dropped as Pochettino narrowed the pool, along with Patrick Schulte and Aidan Morris, while recent injuries ruled out Johnny Cardoso and Patrick Agyemang.
Injuries shaped the final selection
Dest, Adams, and Wright all returned after missing March because of injuries, giving the squad important reinforcements at different spots. Zendejas also rejoined the group after sitting out March, following the knee injury he suffered last fall.
Cardoso is recovering from right ankle surgery, while Agyemang is out with a torn right Achilles tendon. Cameron Carter-Vickers is also working back from a torn Achilles suffered in October, and that left the defensive group with some uncertainty even after the squad was finalized.
A roster with strong European ties
Only eight MLS players made the squad, the fewest since four were selected in 2010, and no MLS forward was chosen. The group is spread mainly across Europe, with five players in England, three in Germany’s Bundesliga, three in France’s Ligue 1, two in Italy’s Serie A, and two in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie.
The attack includes players who finished their club seasons in strong scoring form. Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi scored 19 goals each, while Wright added 18, giving Pochettino three central forwards with 56 combined goals at club level.
A familiar core with some changes
Half of the squad returns from the last World Cup, including Matt Turner, Dest, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, Adams, Weston McKennie, Reyna, Cristian Roldan, Brenden Aaronson, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, and Wright. Chris Richards and Miles Robinson also made the roster after missing the 2022 tournament because of injuries.
Some veterans from 2022 did not survive the latest selection, including Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman, Kellyn Acosta, Luca de la Torre, Yunus Musah, Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Morris, and Josh Sargent. Ricardo Pepi, one of the late cuts four years ago, is now part of the team.
What the final group means for the tournament
The goalkeeper group is also notable because, for the first time since 1990, no U.S. goalkeeper comes from a European club. That adds another layer of distinction to a roster that blends returning World Cup experience with several players fighting for bigger roles.
The United States opens against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California, then faces Australia a week later in Seattle before closing Group D against Turkey on June 26 in Inglewood.
Read more at: apnews.com
