The Grim Outlook for the United States National Team: Key Absences and Challenges on the Horizon
After falling at home to Panama and Canada in the Concacaf Nations League, the United States men’s national soccer team faced a complicated situation. Nine months after a disappointing performance in the Copa América, the team seemed stagnant.
However, the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup loomed as an opportunity for redemption. It was expected that the coach, Mauricio Pochettino, would have time to solidify his strategy and refine tactical details in preparation for the FIFA World Cup.
But reality has exceeded expectations, and not exactly for the better. Pochettino faces an adverse scenario, especially in terms of team preparation.
The coach announced the call-up of 27 players for next month’s friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, and the list of absences is shocking. Christian Pulisic, of AC Milan, will not be present due to fatigue and lingering injuries after a long season at the club. Antonee Robinson, Fulham defender, will also be unable to participate due to not being able to train regularly.
Yunus Musah, Pulisic’s teammate at Milan, requested not to be called up for personal reasons.
Christian and his team approached the Federation and the coaching staff about the possibility of taking a break this summer, given the number of matches he has played in the last two years at both club and international level, with very little rest. After careful conversations and careful consideration, we made the collective decision that this is the right time for him to rest.
Matt Crocker, US Soccer Sporting Director
Added to these absences are those of Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, from Juventus, and Giovanni Reyna, from Borussia Dortmund, due to commitments with their clubs in the FIFA Club World Cup, which coincides with the Gold Cup. Six key players, who in the recent past have been pillars of the national team, will not be available.
The situation could worsen if Johnny Cardoso completes his transfer to Atlético de Madrid and is also called up for the Club World Cup. The Real Betis midfielder is one of the main targets of Diego Simeone’s team.
Pochettino insists he is making decisions on a case-by-case basis. Josh Sargent, from Norwich City, and Tanner Tessmann, from Lyon, were also left out of the call-up, although the coach argued “footballing reasons”.
It’s understandable that players like Pulisic and Robinson want to be rested. Pulisic is about to surpass 3,500 minutes played for the second consecutive season. Clubs pay their salaries, so the priorities are clear.
However, the situation generates some frustration among fans. Seeing Pulisic and Robinson in action with their clubs every week, and now they decide to take a break at a critical moment for the national team, is not well received. This generation has already been criticized by former players for their lack of commitment.
Pochettino trusts in changing this perception. To do this, a great effort will be necessary.
I think our fans need to see our team fighting, playing and performing well, yes, but fighting for the flag and always being in every match with the aggressiveness of the opponent, and that’s what we want to show in these two friendly matches and also in the World Cup. I think that if the fans start to see that energy and transmit this type of energy, I think the fans will be with us.
Mauricio Pochettino
The circumstances have left Pochettino with his hands tied due to FIFA commitments and European clubs. The Gold Cup, despite being a national team tournament, requires clubs to release their players. Pochettino has also indicated that he does not want players who are not in full form.
When will Pochettino be able to count on a team of 23 players fully fit and focused?
After this summer, there will be four FIFA international windows left, not including the period before the World Cup. These windows are not ideal for building a cohesive team. The players arrive, have one or two training sessions and then play a match; afterwards, rest and recovery, and perhaps one more training session before a second match.
That’s why the Gold Cup was so important. A month with the team’s key players would have allowed for a better understanding of Pochettino’s approach.
Pochettino has also said that “too much importance” is given to the team being together. It’s a situation that is similar to the United States having to study against the clock for their final exam, when they gather for the pre-World Cup training camp in a year. The reality is that preparation for the World Cup can only be postponed a limited number of times.
The only positive, albeit minimal, is that Pochettino now has the opportunity to give minutes to less-used players in matches with more at stake than during the January training camp. Diego Luna could be one of the big beneficiaries of the absences of players like Pulisic and Reyna. The return of Folarin Balogun and Sergiño Dest, recovered from their injuries, is a boost for the United States.
I think it’s also important for us to find different solutions or try to find different ways to approach, and one of the things is to give the possibility to perhaps different players to join the national team.
Mauricio Pochettino
It’s the only approach you can take at this moment, but it keeps setting off alarms.
