Pulisic returns to USMNT; McKennie and Reyna, absent from the call-up

Pulisic and Dest lead the return of stars for the United States friendlies

The United States men’s national team coach, Mauricio Pochettino, has announced a 22-player squad for the upcoming friendlies against South Korea and Japan. The team includes the return of several figures who did not participate in the Gold Cup, including Christian Pulisic from AC Milan, Sergiño Dest from PSV Eindhoven, and Tim Weah from Olympique de Marseille. The American team will face South Korea on September 6 in Harrison, New Jersey, and three days later against Japan in Columbus, Ohio. Pochettino plans to add one more player to complete the 23-man roster at a later date.

“We are continuing to strengthen the team and focusing our efforts on the group of players who can help us achieve our goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” Pochettino commented.

Mauricio Pochettino

Pulisic’s return is great news after his absence from the Gold Cup due to fatigue, an issue that sparked debate about his commitment to the team. Weah also returns after securing a loan to Marseille. Dest’s return is especially welcome, given his ability to generate goal-scoring opportunities from the right-back position, and this is his first call-up after a ligament injury suffered last season.

However, there are also notable absences. Weston McKennie, Juventus midfielder, was not called up. Giovanni Reyna and Matt Turner, who recently changed clubs, are also not on the list. Among the injury absences are Patrick Agyemang of Derby County and Malik Tillman of Bayer Leverkusen. Also left out are several players who recently returned to the pitch after long absences, such as Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Antonee Robinson. The absence of McKennie is the most striking, given that his playing time has decreased during the preseason and the start of Serie A. Yunus Musah, AC Milan midfielder, who also missed the Gold Cup, was also not called up. Other notable absences include Reyna, Turner, and Johnny Cardoso. These absences have opened the door for several players without international experience. Among the players without international experience, goalkeeper Roman Celentano, Jonathan Klinsmann, Noahkai Banks, and Tristan Blackmon stand out. Among the most notable inclusions are Alejandro Zendejas, who returns after his absence since November 2024, and Josh Sargent, who has shown a great level with Norwich City.

Full list of those summoned:

• Goalkeepers: Roman Celentano, Matt Freese, Jonathan Klinsmann.
• Defenders: Max Arfsten, Noahkai Banks, Tristan Blackmon, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Nathan Harriel, Tim Ream, Chris Richards.
• Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Luca de la Torre, Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Sean Zawadzki.
• Forwards: Damion Downs, Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah, Alejandro Zendejas.