CHESTER, Penn. — United States men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino reiterated his stance that “no one can feel safe” when it comes to making the World Cup roster and that the players on the current squad deserve to be there.
Pochettino said his stance applies to U.S. stars such as AC Milan attacker Christian Pulisic as well as Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams. Both are out injured and aren’t available for friendlies against Paraguay on Saturday and Uruguay three days later.
Pulisic has only recently recovered from the hamstring injury he sustained last month against Australia during a play that Pochettino called “a bad luck situation.” Also absent are Juventus’ Weston McKennie, Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards and Bayer Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman. But Pochettino expressed faith in the current 24-player roster.
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“For me these are the players that today, they deserve to be here and are the players that we want to see, are the players that are our choice, our selection,” he said. “And then no one can feel safe or no one can feel that it’s going to be [on the roster], even the names that you say: Pulisic or Tyler Adams. I think the federation is bigger than the names that [are in] the national team.”
Pochettino added: “It’s a great opportunity in the moment that we decide to pick another player to choose for another player. That player needs to show up and step up and say, ‘Yes we have also the opportunity to be part of the roster for the next World Cup.'”
U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino is narrowing down his options for the 2026 World Cup roster. John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images
As for Pulisic, Pochettino lamented the injury but said the most important aspect is for the player to be healthy when the roster is named in May.
“[Pulisic] was perfect when he played against Australia, but that happened and we see what happened,” he said. “The most important thing is that all the players arrive fit in a very good condition the day that we are going to start the World Cup, or maybe a little bit before because I need to prepare the roster.”
U.S. defender Tim Ream noted that final World Cup roster selection is coming up faster than it might appear. By his estimation, the U.S. team has just 10 training sessions before the roster is named for the World Cup. That puts the timeline in a different perspective.
“When you talk about length of time, number of days, probably not [close], but when you talk about number of games, number of training sessions, number of camps, [the World Cup] is knocking on our door.”
Ream added that he doesn’t believes the absences change much in terms of what the U.S. hopes to achieve in the upcoming friendlies as well as the practices leading up to them.
“Each player has their own goals in mind, but those goals have to fit in with what Mauricio wants and what the staff wants, and guys have opportunities to come in and impress and potentially help their case to be part of the team that goes to the World Cup,” he said. “And guys who are here or have been here, it’s the same situation.
“Everybody’s in the same boat. You have to continually earn your place and earn your spot and continue to take advantage of opportunities.”
Ream was asked if he sees desperation in the way the U.S. players are training. He said it is more a case of intense focus.
“There’s a little bit more bite in trainings. There’s intensity, there’s more aggressiveness,” he said. “Guys are doing everything they possibly can to be a part of the team, and I think as we’ve gotten closer and closer, you see that more and more, and that’s a good thing.
“Guys are desperate to be a part of the group and be a part of the team and be a part of a World Cup at home.”
