McKennie is Back and Jedi Returns: Pochettino Reveals U.S. Men’s Team Squad

Last month, after U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino summoned a squad half-filled with MLS players for 2026 World Cup tuneups versus Japan and South Korea, he suggested that his next two rosters would feature more of the European-based regulars.

Pochettino made good on his word on Thursday, recalling Juventus’ Weston McKennie, Lyon’s Tanner Tessmann, Celtic’s Cameron Carter-Vickers and Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie for the first time since March for upcoming friendlies against Ecuador on Oct. 10 and Australia on Oct. 14 

“Weston is playing 90 minutes,” the coach said, noting that the Texan went the distance in Juve’s 2-2 Champions League tie away to Villarreal on Wednesday. “It’s a good signal for him and for us.”

With the MLS Cup playoffs set to start later this month, only 10 of the 26 players summoned for the two games hail from American teams.

Star man Christian Pulisic, who assisted in the 2-0 win over Japan, returns in perhaps the best form of his career. The 27-year-old AC Milan standout currently leads Italy’s Serie A in goals and assists. 

“He is the most important player now for the national team [who] is performing and is playing under big pressure,” Pochettino said of Pulisic. “He needs to perform every single week and every single game in a place like Milan, and he’s doing well. And yes, we are so happy when he’s scoring goals, giving assists and performing. That is what we want.”

Tim Weah is on the roster, too, as is all-world left back Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, U.S. Soccer’s male athlete of 2024 who has not played for the national team since November because of injury.

“It’s a long, long time we are not seeing him,” Pochettino said of Jedi. “It’s important that he can be with us.” 

Pochettino also brought back Middlesbrough’s Aidan Morris for the first time in a year. Fellow defensive midfielder James Sands, on loan at Bundesliga side St. Pauli from New York City FC, gets the nod as well for the first time since Pochettino was hired in September 2024. 

“He is one of the players that is playing in a regular way every week in his club and is doing well, and that is the most important thing,” was Pochettino’s explanation for Sands inclusion. 

Veteran goalkeeper Matt Turner, who started all four games for the Americans at the 2022 World Cup, returns after being omitted in September following his loan from Lyon to former club New England Revolution. 

Brenden Aaronson, barely used during the Concacaf Gold Cup last summer, also gets the callup. Aaronson has carved out a starting role with Premier League club Leeds United this season.

Among the players left out include Johnny Cardoso, Sergino Dest, Ricardo Pepi and Giovanni Reyna (all four are dealing with injuries), as well as Yunus Musah, Joe Scally and World Cup 2022 captain Tyler Adams. 

Pochettino explained the reasoning for Adams’ omission during a video conference with reporters on Thursday. 

“He’s expecting, with his wife, to have a baby in the next few days,” the coach said of Adams. “That’s why he’s not in this camp. It’s a good reason. I hope everything goes well.”

Meantime, the door remains open for Musah and Scally. “Today they are not here, but maybe they have the possibility to be here in the next months,” said Pochettino. “Players that are here, maybe they are not going to be called again.”

Australia and Ecuador are both ranked in the Top 25 of FIFA’s world ranking. The two nations have also already qualified for next summer’s 48-team soccer extravaganza, which will be co-hosted by the U.S. Canada and Mexico.

“The World Cup is a dream that comes true in few months,” Pochettino said. “It’s so exciting to be together.  When you are together, and when you start to talk and work with the players, I think you start to really feel the World Cup.”

The full U.S. roster is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Chris Brady, Chicago Fire; Matt Freese, NYCFC; Patrick Schulte, Columbus Crew; Matt Turner, New England

Defenders: Max Arfsten, Columbus Crew; Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic (Scotland); Alex Freeman, Orlando City; Mark McKenzie (FC Toulouse (France); Tim Ream, Charlotte; Chris Richards, Crystal Palace (England); Antonee Robinson, Fulham (England); Miles Robinson, FC Cincinnati

Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Leeds (England); Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; Weston McKennie, Juventus (Italy); Aidan Morris, Middlesbrough (England); Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders; James Sands, St. Pauli (Germany); Tanner Tessmann; Lyon (France); Malik Tillman, Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 

Forwards: Patrick Agyemang, Derby County (England); Folarin Balogun, AS Monaco (France); Christian Pulisic, AC Milan (Italy); Tim Weah, Marseille (France); Haji Wright, Coventry City (England); Alex Zendejas, Club América (Mexico) 

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!

---

---