Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Antonee Robinson, Gio Reyna, Tim Weah, Joe Scally, Josh Sargent, Tanner Tessmann – US men's national team fans expect to see those star names leading a marquee roster announcement.
But this June, for friendlies against Türkiye and Switzerland, head coach Mauricio Pochettino called up none of those Europe-based regulars. Instead, the Argentine manager has opted for an MLS-heavy roster that features 16 domestic players and several uncapped youngsters.
This comes before 26 players will make the Yanks' 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup squad for the program's final competitive games before co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
While big-name absences are mainly due to the upcoming 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, physical fatigue and/or personal reasons, players' leagues were irrelevant in the decision-making process, according to Pochettino.
“It was a football decision," Pochettino said of the squad's domestic focus. "Our responsibility is to analyze and assess the player in the same way. We cannot assess the player because [he is] playing in one team, playing in Europe or playing the MLS, in one team or another, no?
"I think all the players that are for the first time with us, I think all deserve to be there, deserve to have the chance. … I am so clear about that. After it's about not to lose the possibility when you have the chance."
Pochettino expects the new faces will foster increased competitiveness within the squad.
"I think that we created the best roster that we think can deliver what we want," Pochettino said. "I think it’s important to [call up] people that can challenge in one year's time some names, you know, that everyone considers that need to be [at the World Cup] because they are a good player or they are performing well today.
"I think to create this competitiveness in this squad is very, very important. I am so excited, so excited to work with this squad.”
Who are some of the MLS players looking to make waves?
Check out the group below, with a shoutout to more established MLSers in Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, FC Cincinnati center back Miles Robinson, and Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen.
The Vancouver Whitecaps cannot be stopped this season, nor can their leading scorer Brian White. With five goals in eight Concacaf Champions Cup matches, White has led Vancouver to their first CCC final in club history while scoring eight times in 10 league matches to put the 'Caps atop the Western Conference table (8W-1L-4D; 28 points).
White received his first USMNT call-up last year, debuting in a January camp friendly against Slovenia. He's made three more appearances this year, including one in the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League after scoring his first international goal in another January camp friendly against Costa Rica.
His selection ahead of Sargent was a "football decision," according to Pochettino, again providing White, as well as Charlotte FC striker Patrick Agyemang, the opportunity to lay claim to the No. 9 position with the World Cup looming.
Another Whitecap with a rising profile, Sebastian Berhalter is having his best season yet in Vancouver.
Whether covering ground to make important tackles or driving forward to produce clutch goal contributions, Berhalter has done it on both sides of the ball. Despite unfortunately receiving a yellow-card suspension for the CCC final, the 24-year-old has made the quarterfinal and semifinal Best XI squads with three goals and two assists across eight matches.
As a result, the former USMNT coach's kid earned his first senior call-up from the new boss.
The Philadelphia Union homegrown has not missed a beat in his new, warmer surroundings.
Since joining Houston Dynamo FC in the league's second-ever cash-for-player trade, Jack McGlynn has slotted into the more possession-heavy system with ease. In 13 matches this season, the 21-year-old leads Houston in goal contributions with two goals and four assists.
Those performances caught the eye of Pochettino, who will see more of McGlynn in June. Like White, McGlynn had received two prior January camp call-ups, scoring and assisting during a friendly against Venezuela, in addition to a single Nations League cap.
If you look up the definition of "breakout season" in the dictionary, you'll see a picture of Alex Freeman.
Before the 2025 campaign, the Orlando City homegrown fullback had a mere 10 minutes of MLS action under his belt. This year, he's already exceeded 1,200 minutes by appearing in all 14 Lions matches (starting 13), while being arguably the most dangerous attacking fullback in the league. Just 20 years old, Freeman has already scored three times and given an assist to support Orlando's devastating attack.
In turn, Pochettino decided it was time for the youngster to step onto the international stage.
His younger brother Cavan may have received most of the attention in the offseason. But once the season started, Quinn Sullivan has been dominating the headlines.
Another Philadelphia Union homegrown, he provides serious creativity in Chester. Through 14 matches, Sullivan's seven assists are tied for second-most in MLS, helping striker Tai Baribo pace the Golden Boot presented by Audi race (11 goals) and vaulting the Union into the Supporters' Shield lead (9W-3L-2D; 29 points).
Pochettino hopes that success will rub off on the USMNT, giving Sullivan his first senior call-up.
While many familiar names are missing from the pre-Gold Cup squad, Pochettino made the situation clear: This is not an opportunity for MLS players to steal somebody else's spot on the 2026 World Cup roster. This is an opportunity to defend their own spot.
"The important thing is to provide to the new players the possibility to challenge, and to challenge the possibility to take a place," Pochettino said.
"I think my first conversation, the first approach that we are going to have when we [are] all together is, ‘Listen, guys, you have the possibility to defend your place. When you are now in the national team, it's not because you are here to try to replace people that is sure that is going to be here. No. You have the possibility to defend your place.
"How you are going to defend your place? That is an important thing for us. You need to fight. You need to show attitude, the right attitude. But not only that; perform and be brave and follow the rules that are set in the group.' I think it's really important for us.”
