ASN: Pochettino names 25 for November camp, Scally, Pepi, Reyna return however accidents mount

ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the ultimate USMNT roster of 2025 with a take a look at who’s there, who’s lacking, and why. Additionally, there’s a huge look forward to how this matches into preparation for the World Cup. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
November 06, 2025
12:10 PM

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ON THURSDAY, UNITED STATES nationwide staff head coach Mauricio Pochettino named his roster for the November worldwide window which can function video games in opposition to Paraguay and Uruguay. The roster consists of 25 gamers and consists of 11 gamers who weren’t a part of the profitable October window the place the staff drew Ecuador and defeated Australia.

This month’s camp is severely impacted by accidents.

These gamers are all presently unable to play for his or her golf equipment:

Christian Pulisic
Tim Weah
Alejandro Zendejas
Antonee Robinson
Jack McGlynn
Cameron Carter-Vickers
Brian White
Chris Brady

Then there are gamers who’ve solely simply returned from motion with their golf equipment however who have been left off this roster.

Johnny Cardoso
Malik Tillman

Then there may be Chris Richards who is outwardly taking part in via an harm in the meanwhile with Crystal Palace. Weston McKennie’s omission can also be vital and can have to be addressed. The Juventus participant is coming off a powerful October camp however not too long ago noticed his membership make a training change which might make his time higher spent remaining in Italy.

In complete, Pochettino referred to as up 25 gamers together with 4 goalkeepers (the place he’ll use three on the World Cup). Pochettino might have referred to as up one or two extra discipline gamers however opted not to take action.

For gamers which are wholesome however didn’t make this roster, it needs to be regarding.

Right here is the roster together with some ideas on every part.

United States Males’s Nationwide Group Roster
(Membership/Nation; Caps/Objectives) 

GOALKEEPERS (4): Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York Metropolis FC; 11/0), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena/ITA; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 3/0) 

DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 14/1), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 35/2), Alex Freeman (Orlando Metropolis; 11/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse FC/FRA; 24/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 78/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 37/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 21/0), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/GER; 4/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 4/0) 

MIDFIELDERS (7): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 52/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 7/0), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 11/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 32/8), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 41/0), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 10/0), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew; 1/0) 

FORWARDS (5): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 54/9), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco/FRA; 27/7), Diego Luna (Actual Salt Lake; 16/3), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 33/13), Haji Wright (Coventry Metropolis/ENG; 19/7) 

Pochettino optimistic on time

Pochettino addressed the media after the roster was launched, and he stated he was not involved with the dwindling variety of camps earlier than the World Cup. There may be simply this camp adopted by the March camp earlier than closing World Cup preparations.

This means that that Pochettino is comfy with the staff and the gamers. It additionally displays why he was comfy with some gamers being left off this staff who’re regulars (Richards and McKennie). It additionally hints that he isn’t viewing these camps as a lot about “building” however slightly it’s about studying extra about gamers and formation. He may imagine that the March camp and the ultimate World Cup run-up is all that he must have this staff prepared.

Weakened assault

One of many huge takeaways is simply how impacted the USMNT assault is that this camp resulting from accidents. Pochettino is with out Pulisic, Weah, and Zendejas. He additionally left Weston McKennie off this roster for causes seemingly resulting from his membership’s latest teaching change. However McKennie performed out large in October and had an excellent camp.  

That may be very vital and it’ll take a look at the staff’s potential to create and rating from out large.

Haji Wright floats between wing and striker however on this camp, he’s seemingly going to be examined out large.

With Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun referred to as up, the striker place is properly coated.

However Pochettino will seemingly want gamers to play on the wing who usually are not pure wingers. Brenden Aaronson is a participant probably not tied to 1 place and he normally roams to be aggressive within the press. However he could possibly be tasked with duties out large.

Diego Luna, Gio Reyna, and Christian Roldan are gamers who might function out large.

4 central defenders

One takeaway from this roster is that Pochettino solely elected to call-up 4 central defenders. Not too long ago he had been choosing 5 because the staff has been choosing a three-man backline formation.

That doesn’t present a variety of protection within the again as Tim Ream, Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie, and Auston Trusty must make do with out Richards. Trusty additionally has not spent a variety of time with the staff and solely not too long ago returned to the lineup for Celtic after the teaching change and harm to compatriot Carter-Vickers.

As a substitute of opting to usher in one other central defender similar to Noahkai Banks or Walker Zimmerman, Pochettino will seemingly contemplate Joe Scally and Sean Zawadzki to be central protection cowl. Each gamers have performed within the backline at their golf equipment in a three-man backline formation.

Central midfielders

That is the deepest space of the staff and is probably the most aggressive with a variety of gamers vying for restricted spots. The spots are much more restricted with a three-man backline that usually squeezes out one other midfielder.

However there are accidents or latest accidents to Cardoso and McGlynn whereas McKennie can also be absent. However James Sands didn’t earn one other invite after the October camp. St. Pauli has been in horrible kind since then and that didn’t assist his case.

As a substitute, Pochettino took a practical strategy and referred to as up gamers who’re all taking part in properly for his or her golf equipment. Tyler Adams, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Christian Roldan, Sean Zawadzki, and Sebastian Berhalter are all merely taking part in properly for golf equipment which are doing properly of their leagues or within the playoffs.

There are all the time exceptions, however Pochettino prioritizes taking part in properly for profitable groups.

Goalkeepers

It was shocking that Pochettino introduced 4 goalkeepers on condition that he has performed Matt Freese each sport because the summer time and hasn’t rotated a lot. Everybody anticipated Freese to be there however what’s attention-grabbing is that Pochettino felt compelled to name up three extra goalkeepers – and Matt Turner was not among the many group.

What does this imply?

First, Matt Freese continues to be the primary. He has been the starter the final three video games because the staff has continued to enhance. He has additionally continued to play properly for New York Metropolis. There appears to be no cause for him to now not be the No. 1 proper now.

Second, it’s not clear how robust Freese’s grip is on the beginning job.

Third, it’s also not clear what the pecking order is behind Freese.

However calling in 4 goalkeepers displays that there isn’t readability on the place – particularly with out Matt Turner who had been the No. 1 for the final World Cup and Copa America.

Different Notable absences

Weston McKennie is taking part in very properly proper now however Juventus not too long ago had a training change and there’s a want for McKennie to settle himself there. He appears to be in an excellent place with the nationwide staff after a stable October camp. However Pochettino on the media name counsel that it was necessary for McKennie to stay with Juventus as he has made a constructive impression with the brand new supervisor Luciano Spalletti.

Yunus Musah: Musah’s standing throughout the USMNT just isn’t robust. He’s wholesome and Atalanta has a supervisor with job safety. However he isn’t taking part in a lot at Atalanta and it appears to be a tough path forward for him to take action. Regardless of him remaining in Italy over the last two worldwide home windows, his standing throughout the membership has not improved a lot. Musah has not been with the USMNT since March and he has an uphill climb to make the staff.  

Noahkai Banks: The 18-year-old central defender has began for Augsburg over the previous month and Pochettino likes him primarily based on his September call-up. However he’s younger and nonetheless within the strategy of discovering his method on the membership stage. He’s a participant who might make a late push for the World Cup staff if it seems to be like he’s on monitor for a 2000+ minute season and is taking part in properly.

James Sands: the St. Pauli defensive midfielder (on mortgage from NYCFC), has been an everyday Bundesliga starter all season and earned the call-up in October. However St. Pauli has struggled and Sands was no introduced again – seemingly resulting from Tyler Adams being again.

Walker Zimmerman: the long-time USMNT veteran might need been within the combine for this camp given the accidents to central defenders. However Zimmerman continues to be solely not too long ago returned from a concussion and Pochettino elected to go along with Auston Trusty as an alternative.

Josh Sargent: he wasn’t anticipated to be again with the staff after his kind has pale badly with Norwich and with Pepi and Balogun each wholesome. However he stays within the broader pool and one harm might change something.

Return of Reyna & Scally

One of many huge notes from the roster is that Gio Reyna and Joe Scally returned to the staff for the primary time since March. This comes on the heels of what has been a brutal begin to the season for his or her membership, Borussia Monchengladbach. Scally begins most video games at proper again for the membership but additionally performs central protection in a three-man backline.

Reyna, in the meantime, is without doubt one of the most talked about American gamers regardless of not taking part in a lot.

Scally is flexible in ways in which might assist the U.S. staff’s roster.

Reyna is right here for his particular person expertise that he has proven within the more and more distant previous. Pochettino needs to evaluate his stage and see how he matches into the place the staff stands now. It’s robust to essentially breakdown Reyna and the way he can slot in as a result of there may be not a lot we learn about him and the place he’s proper now. Can he begin? How lengthy can he play for? How a lot can he contribute defensively? 

When gamers do not play, it’s a guessing sport until you might be current at closed-door trainings. 

Neither Reyna nor Scally are locks to make the World Cup staff. More than likely they’re 50/50 gamers at finest. For Reyna, the place does he slot in as soon as Tillman returns? He would then need to beat out Brenden Aaronson or Diego Luna. Luna has had an excellent 12 months with the staff and Aaronson continues to start out within the Premier League whereas providing the vitality that Pochettino needs. If Reyna needs to play wing, it turns into more durable. The place does he match as soon as Pulisic, Weah, or Zendejas are again?

However all that’s moot until Reyna can play minutes for Monchengladbach.

Scally might need a greater pathway into the staff as a result of with 26 gamers, a participant who can function at both fullback place or in central protection in a three-man backline is helpful.

Different notes

Each Balogun and Pepi scored within the Champions League this previous week.

4 former Philadelphia Union homegrowns have been referred to as up this window with Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, Matt Freese, and Auston Trusty all getting the nod. The impression the Union, its homegrown alums, or its former youth gamers have had on U.S. youth nationwide groups, or the present full nationwide staff is big.

Alex Freeman was not too long ago named the MLS Younger Participant of the 12 months for 2025 and the fullback has stored his spot on the USMNT since his first call-up in June.

The ugliness of the Gregg Berhalter and Claudio Reyna fallout from the 2022 World Cup continues to linger within the minds of followers and observers of this system. Now for the primary time, each Sebastian Berhlater and Gio Reyna will probably be referred to as right into a USMNT camp collectively.