NEW YORK — The U.S. men’s soccer team’s World Cup roster unveiled by manager Gregg Berhalter on Wednesday had a lot of surprises — including one that stung one of the Philadelphia area’s top players.
While Brenden Aaronson and Christian Pulisic made the team, Zack Steffen was one of the biggest omissions from the 26-player group.
Berhalter made a late turn away from a goalkeeper he’s known and trusted for years. Ethan Horvath was picked instead, alongside the expected pair of presumed starter Matt Turner and Sean Johnson.
Steffen went on loan from English power Manchester City to second-division team Middlesbrough this season, so he could get regular playing time. He has gotten it, but it hasn’t always gone well. Horvath also made a loan move, from the Premier League’s Nottingham Forest to the second division’s Luton Town, and it has gone better for him: 19 goals conceded and eight shutouts in 19 games, to Steffen’s 19 goals conceded and four shutouts in 16 games.
Among defenders, there were two surprises: Shaq Moore over Reggie Cannon at right back, and veteran Tim Ream as the last of four centerbacks.
It wasn’t too surprising that former Union centerback Mark McKenzie didn’t make the cut, because he had some high-profile struggles in national team games over the last year and a half. But a recent run of good form at Belgium’s Genk raised hope that he might get the spot opened by Chris Richards’ injury, or that Berhalter might take five centerbacks instead of four.
In the end, Berhalter stuck with four: presumed starters Walker Zimmerman and Aaron Long, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Ream.
The midfield had not so much a surprise as a gamble: the inclusion of Luca de la Torre, who suffered a muscle tear in his left leg in late October.
The closest thing to a true surprise was Cristian Roldan over Malik Tillman, but Tillman has had a rough time lately at Scotland’s Rangers. Roldan might not play much in Qatar, but he can play multiple positions and is a strong locker room presence. With 26 players on World Cup squads now instead of the 23 of the past, there’s space for such a player.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of all came at forward: Ricardo Pepi didn’t make the cut after being one of Berhalter’s most trusted players in World Cup qualifying. Pepi moved from Germany’s Augsburg to the Netherlands’ Gronigen on loan this summer to regain his scoring form, and he seemed to have found it with six goals and two assists in nine games.
But Berhalter chose otherwise: Haji Wright, a 6-foot-3 target striker who made his senior national team debut this past June after being a big-time teenage prospect. He played with current U.S. stars Pulisic and Weston McKennie back then, but didn’t make it to the big time until going to Turkish club Antalyaspor last year. Wright has scored 24 goals in 47 games there, including nine in 12 games this season.
Wright, Josh Sargent and Jesús Ferreira will be the three strikers.
U.S. men’s World Cup roster for Qatar 2022
— Goalkeepers (3): Ethan Horvath (Luton Town, England), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Matt Turner (Arsenal, England)
— Defenders (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic, Scotland), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan, Italy), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, England), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Germany), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
— Midfielders (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United, England), Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC), Tyler Adams (Leeds United, England), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy), Yunus Musah (Valencia, Spain), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)
— Forwards (7): Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, England) Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Josh Sargent (Norwich City, England), Tim Weah (Lille, France), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor, Turkey)
