Clubeleven Team

Pochettino Eyes World Cup Roster, 4 Friendlies Confirmed

Clubeleven Team
Pochettino Eyes World Cup Roster, 4 Friendlies Confirmed

Photography by: Peter Bonilla & Gabriel Bayona Sapag

Four months and four matches. That’s all that separates the USMNT from the most important World Cup in its history. The final run of tune-up games will be as follows:

  • March 28: vs. Belgium (Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium)

  • March 31: vs. Portugal (Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium)

  • May 31: vs. Senegal (Charlotte, Bank of America Stadium)

  • June 6: vs. Germany (Chicago, Soldier Field)

When the U.S. opens the 2026 tournament against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, it will do so as a host nation carrying the expectation that their performance will help catapult the sport further than ever before in America. For head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the margins are shrinking fast.

“We are close,” Pochettino admitted recently. Translation: the pool has been studied, debated, and trimmed. Since taking over in 2024, he and his staff have evaluated roughly 70 players. Barring something extraordinary, the core of the 26-man roster is already in place.

That doesn’t mean it’s settled.

Injuries have complicated the picture. Tyler Adams is recovering from a knee issue but remains the emotional and tactical heartbeat of the side. If fit, he starts. Alongside him, Tanner Tessmann’s steady rise in France makes him a strong bet to anchor midfield, while Weston McKennie’s club resurgence has reestablished him as a box-to-box difference-maker.

The attack, as always, runs through Christian Pulisic. The AC Milan winger is enjoying one of the most productive seasons of his career, and the U.S. will go only as far as its captain carries it. Around him, the competition is fierce. Brenden Aaronson’s relentless form at Leeds has forced his way into the conversation, while Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman remain high-ceiling options still chasing consistency.

Up top, Folarin Balogun holds the inside track as the starting No. 9. Ricardo Pepi’s unfortunate arm fracture slowed his momentum but likely not his roster chances, provided he returns sharp this spring. Patrick Agyemang’s physical profile offers something different — and in tournaments, “different” often travels.

Defensively, experience and youth intersect. Veteran Tim Ream continues to defy time, while Chris Richards has become the most reliable presence in the back line. The wildcard may be 19-year-old Noahkai Banks, whose rapid development in Germany has turned him from prospect into a legitimate contender at a position lacking depth.

Behind them, the goalkeeping situation remains the biggest question mark. Matt Freese appears to have the edge, but Matt Turner’s World Cup experience still carries weight. The spring friendlies could determine who takes the gloves in June.

Tactically, Pochettino’s system remains fluid — a nominal 4-2-3-1 that morphs into a back three in possession. He’s less concerned with formations than identity, stressing intensity, verticality, and controlled aggression.

And as Tim Ream recently put it, the World Cup isn’t looming in days; it’s looming in sessions. There are only so many chances left to prove you belong.

The expanded tournament raises the bar, and simply reaching the knockout rounds won’t satisfy a home crowd dreaming of a quarterfinal run reminiscent of 2002. The talent is there. The depth, mostly.

Now comes the hard part: choosing who gets to write the story.