Over the previous 12 months, the USMNT has been very unsuccessful in two tournaments on house soil. Now head coach Mauricio Pochettino is seeking to change issues on the 2025 Gold CUp. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the roster
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
June 06, 2025
6:10 AM
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UNITED STATES MEN’S Nationwide Group head coach formally introduced his 26-player roster for the 2025 Gold Cup that may open on June 15 in California. The Gold Cup workforce was nearly totally comprised from the gamers who have been on the current coaching camp roster together with the following modifications that have been listed over the weekend.
However there have been two notable exceptions. The primary is that Sergino Dest was faraway from the roster on account of health points that have been decided throughout a bodily analysis. He was changed by John Tolkin, who arrived in camp on Thursday.
“The technical, medical and high performance staffs have done a series of evaluations this week on all the players in camp, and in the case of Sergiño we determined the best decision is for the player to have an individualized training program for the summer so he can focus on being fully recovered and ready to perform next season,” Pochettino mentioned.
In the meantime, Pochettino added Walker Zimmerman, Nathan Harriel, and Paxten Aaronson instead of DeJuan Jones, Sean Zawadzki, and Folarin Balogun. Previous to that, Chris Brady changed Patrick Schulte.
With that, right here is the Gold Cup roster together with some ideas.
The 2025 United States Gold Cup Roster
(Membership/Nation; Caps/Objectives)
GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Hearth; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York Metropolis FC; 0/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 51/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Alex Freeman (Orlando Metropolis; 0/0), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 19/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 68/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 24/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 32/3), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/GER; 4/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 43/3)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 47/8); Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 44/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 0/0), Johnny Cardoso (Actual Betis/ESP; 18/0), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC; 24/1), Diego Luna (Actual Salt Lake; 4/0), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo; 4/1), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 0/0); Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 17/0)
FORWARDS (5): Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht/NED; 1/0), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 4/3), Damion Downs (FC Köln/GER; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 4/1), Haji Wright (Coventry Metropolis/ENG; 15/4)
Vital modifications
Many acquainted faces from current camps have been left off this roster. Some have been on account of accidents, some have been as a result of Membership World Cup, Christian Pulisic wanted a break, and Yunus Musah withdrew on account of private causes – however many have been soccer selections.
A few of these embody Josh Sargent, Joe Scally, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Auston Trusty, Marlon Fossey, Alex Zendejas, and others.
In the meantime, Pochettino has given a giant alternative for others to impress at this Gold Cup. In the event that they take benefit, it may give them the within observe for being within the plans within the run-up to the World Cup.
Many of those faces would have been seen as extraordinarily shocking as not too long ago as the beginning of 2025. However gamers like Brian White, Sebastian Berhalter, Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman, Nathian Harriel, and Chris Brady have continued to do properly and Pochettino needs to provide them an opportunity.
That’s fully truthful. The U.S. workforce is coming off a yr the place it crashed out of the Copa America on house soil in the course of the group phases and adopted it up by a fourth place end out of 4 groups on the Nations League (additionally on house soil) the larger threat is to make few modifications. The profit for having a coach like Pochettino who is available in from the entire outdoors is that he sees issues with contemporary eyes.
When watching the Gold Cup, the best strategy is to have a look at workforce as if there are only a few locks. Earlier than Pochettino arrived, a lot of the call-ups have been assumed and this got here no matter membership type. Now, it’s extra open and lots of the newcomers over this previous yr are there not due to repute however as a result of they’re taking part in properly.
We’ll now see if that starvation carries over into the nationwide workforce.
Central protection: extensive open
Apart from Chris Richards, who had an excellent season for Crystal Palace, the remainder of the workforce’s central defenders all have severe questions and there’s no clear pecking order.
Tim Ream is 37 and is at all times battling the age concern. Mark McKenzie had a very good season general in France however stumbled down the stretch. Miles Robinson has been good however unspectacular for FC Cincinnati. Walker Zimmerman now reenters the equation and is among the many extra constant gamers however has solely not too long ago returned from a concussion.
Richards is a lock, however it’s an open audition for the opposite 4 centerbacks.
Fullbacks: Freeman & Arfsten have large alternatives
Nobody questions that Antonee Robinson is the workforce’s greatest left again. However who backs up Robinson has been an open query for years. Whereas Ream can play left again, he looks as if an unlikely possibility there outdoors of an emergency.
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) June 5, 2025
That leaves Max Arfsten and John Tolkin. Arfsten has been on the workforce all camp whereas Tolkin solely was added when Dest was compelled to withdraw. Each gamers ought to get alternatives over the approaching month however Arfsten has the worth having labored with Pochettino in January and March. One other good camp may put him within the drivers’ seat to again up Robinson shifting ahead. It’s there for the taking.
As for Tolkin, he confirmed properly within the Bundesliga however after Holstein Kiel’s relegation, he has to shift right down to the two.Bundesliga until he will get offered (which didn’t sound seemingly based mostly on his media name in Could). However he is an effective participant and has performed numerous soccer over the previous three and a half years. He’s nonetheless very a lot within the race.
— Orlando Metropolis SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 5, 2025
Proper again turns into much more attention-grabbing. Dest hasn’t performed with the nationwide workforce since March 2024 on account of his ACL surgical procedure and restoration. Joe Scally wasn’t known as up and DeJuan Jones needed to withdraw on account of an damage when he was changed by Nathan Harriel – who hasn’t even at all times been the starter for the Union at proper again as a result of emergency of Frankie Westfield – who’s with the U.S. U-20 workforce.
That leaves us with Alex Freeman. The Orlando Metropolis homegrown has impressed this season to the purpose the place he’s one of many prime younger American gamers in MLS at age 20. Freeman (who’s the son of former NFL nice Antonio Freeman) is extraordinarily athletic and suits the profile of a contemporary fullback. Regardless of solely being in his first season as an Orlando starter, he’s now heading into the Gold Cup the place he’ll play numerous minutes and maybe even be the workforce’s starter. He on a really accelerated push in his improvement. It’s harking back to when DeAndre Yedlin compelled his approach on the 2014 World Cup workforce. Like Yedlin, huge European suitors may quickly observe (however whether or not he needs to threat shedding taking part in time in a World Cup yr is one other query).
Central midfield
The central midfield of this Gold Cup roster has numerous attention-grabbing names together with Sebastian Berhalter, Jack McGlynn, and Luca de la Torre. It’s necessary to notice that Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah can be right here in regular circumstances, so it stays unclear what number of spots are up for grabs (though it doesn’t look like Musah is a lock proper now given his second half of the season). However these gamers are all right here over gamers equivalent to Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, and Gianluca Busio. Meaning there may be seemingly no less than one opening in the event that they play properly this month.
Berhalter has taken his recreation to a different degree in 2025 and that has seen him rewarded with a call-up. Regardless of being suspended for the ultimate, Berhalter was vital in serving to the Caps advance to the CONCACAF Champions Cup closing and he’s additionally a giant issue of their first place standing. The priority is that he has not been taking part in at a really excessive degree for a protracted time period. He should present that his type the previous three months shouldn’t be a blip.
De la Torre has been out of the workforce for nearly a yr after coping with accidents and an absence of taking part in time at Celta Vigo. Now on mortgage with San Diego FC, he’s in good type and is taking part in recurrently once more. He affords loads to this workforce in that he brings expertise, high quality, and the good thing about not having been a part of the workforce’s current issues.
Whereas Pochettino made a number of modifications to the USMNT midfield from March, McGlynn stays on the workforce. His January camp together with a good shift off the bench within the loss to Panama helped his case, however in no way is he a lock. He must play properly.
Attacking midfield and wings
With out Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic, and even Alex Zendejas on this roster, the U.S. workforce is brief on gamers who assault from extensive positions. Gamers like Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, or both Aaronson brother can play outdoors as a second place, however that isn’t a energy of this workforce. And all these gamers may convey loads to the workforce if they may additionally thrive on the wings.
Haji Wright performs on the wing loads for Coventry, however he steadily tries to chop inside. Wright is simply one of many many gamers who has been across the workforce for years however who shouldn’t be thought of a lock anymore. There may be stress on him to supply.
Quinn Sullivan is extra snug taking part in outdoors than most gamers on this roster. He arrives in camp in the course of one other sturdy season for Philadelphia and he has a possibility within the month forward that may very well be surprisingly important in his hopes of being with the workforce shifting ahead.
Attacking midfield could be very attention-grabbing as a result of Gio Reyna shouldn’t be on the workforce as a result of Membership World Cup (though it isn’t a given he would have made it anyway given his lack of minutes).
Diego Luna is in an important place now given his contributions this yr which is mirrored by the enhances from Pochettino.
Malik Tillman is coming off an important season however is underneath some stress on condition that he has by no means seen his membership type translate over to the nationwide workforce and that should occur quickly.
The Aaronson brothers are additionally key to observe. Brenden was left off the USMNT roster in March and that may have been a blessing in disguise as he was 6000 miles faraway from the catastrophe that unfolded. However it additionally confirmed that Pochettino is hesitant with him. He has been an everyday for a very long time and he had a very good season the place he performed loads to assist Leeds earn promotion. However his grip on a roster spot is tenuous and he has loads to lose with a nasty camp.
In the meantime Paxten has been concerned with the USMNT earlier than, however that is completely different. Now he’s not seen as a future prospect, however slightly he’s a participant who’s extra prepared to have the ability to contribute now. This previous season, he was on mortgage to FC Utrecht and emerged as one of many prime younger gamers within the Eredivisie. His mum or dad membership, Eintracht Frankfurt, is wanting ahead to his return as they put together for the Champions League.
Heart ahead
Ricardo Pepi is injured and Folarin Balogun needed to withdraw from this previous USMNT camp on account of damage. Pepi made an important impression with the workforce underneath Pochettino within the fall and sure stays in good standing. Balogun is completely different as a result of he’s not in an important place along with his membership and may need misplaced his beginning place heading into subsequent yr.
Josh Sargent, in the meantime, was left off this roster on account of Pochettino’s determination. Sargent didn’t impress in two camps underneath Pochettino and hasn’t scored for the nationwide workforce since 2019. Regardless of being named to the Championship workforce of the season, he has work to do to get again within the squad. He’s within the combine, however on the skin of the bubble.
That leaves us with three middle forwards on this roster.
Patrick Agyemang and Brian White have been concerned in each camps in 2025. Even when all choices are wholesome, there are seemingly open roster spots for Agyemang and White – who’re each very completely different. White is a close-range finisher with spectacular measurement whereas Agyemang is extra cellular. A very good month by both or each may make a World Cup spot theirs to lose.
Damion Downs is in a barely completely different place than White or Agyemang. He’s a ahead however that is his first USMNT and his youth nationwide workforce expertise can be restricted. He’s behind others, however that doesn’t imply he can’t make up floor. He’s coming off an excellent season with Cologne the place he scored 11 targets throughout all competitions and helped the workforce to promotion to the Bundesliga. That provides him an important stage heading into yr earlier than the World Cup. However there may be additionally a longer-term play for him. At simply 20 years outdated, that is necessary for him simply to get entangled in this system. He shall be 24 in 2030 and 28 in 2034. Even when he doesn’t make the 2026 World Cup workforce, he is a crucial prospect for the long run.
Goalkeeping
Goalkeeping continues to be a giant query mark for the workforce on condition that Matt Turner continues to be the No. 1 and has solely hardly ever performed in England over the previous two seasons. He stays the USMNT starter as a result of nobody else has made a compelling case. But when he continues to be a backup on the membership degree, Turner is in danger each time he reviews to USMNT obligation. One unhealthy camp may see him shifting to a backup function there as properly.
In current camps, it appeared that Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte have been those pushing him. Each of these keepers needed to withdraw on account of damage. Will Matt Freese and Chris Brady push Turner? Maybe. However Schulte and Steffen will proceed to be within the image over the subsequent yr.
The important thing takeaway is that if Turner doesn’t carry out for the workforce over the subsequent month, the goalkeeping place will change into chaotic.
