There is no honor greater for a soccer player than pulling on his nation’s jersey at the World Cup, and few players will ever get the opportunity to do so on home turf. It’s what makes a spot on the 26-man roster of the U.S. men’s national team this summer so coveted.
Since taking over the USMNT program in the fall of 2024, manager Mauricio Pochettino has cast a wide net to explore every possibility for this summer. He has called in over 80 players and played over 60 of them in friendly matches and at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. Now, he faces the difficult task of narrowing that pool down by over half.
