ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks down the U.S. nationwide workforce’s 5-1 win over Uruguay and writes how the competitors for a World Cup roster spot is now huge open
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
November 19, 2025
10:00 AM
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THE UNITED STATES MEN’S NATIONAL workforce ended 2025 with its greatest efficiency in years in a 5-1 rout over Uruguay in Tampa, Florida. However efficiency solely tells a part of the story. It utterly blew open the doorways on the competitors to make this workforce, making it appear virtually as a wide-open race. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino gave a blistering postgame press convention difficult the narrative this was a “B-team” or a rotated squad.
The results of this sport and this camp is that nobody has any clue as to what the World Cup roster will seem like. Anybody can guess. However this notion that that there are “locks” and that some gamers are assured of being there was one thing that Pochettino has been pushing again from day one. He’s even gone as far as to recommend that having roster spots assured for gamers has been the workforce’s largest drawback all alongside.
Within the postgame following the win over Uruguay, he took it to a different stage with indignant responses to the primary two questions. If you mix his philosophy with the outcomes of this workforce this previous window – with so most of the media’s assumed locks lacking for quite a lot of causes – it is rather simple to see a World Cup workforce that doesn’t embody gamers the followers or media anticipated to be there all alongside.
It might have been one factor if the U.S. workforce defeated Uruguay and objectives got here from Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, and Weston McKennie. Not a lot would have been discovered. But when gamers are in an actual competitors for roster spots, we’ve got to simply accept that issues are completely different that how we would have anticipated it to be.
— U.S. Soccer Males’s Nationwide Group (@USMNT) November 19, 2025
In opposition to Uruguay, Sebastian Berhalter scored the primary aim with a blistering shot from the facet of the field following a brief free kick. The Alex Freeman scored two objectives – the second of which was probably the greatest objectives the workforce scored all season. Then Luna additionally scored to make it a 4-0 blowout in simply the primary half.
The second half was extra dialed again in depth. Uruguay was decreased to 10 males, the U.S. added on a fifth aim by Tanner Tessmann (assisted by Gio Reyna) however the story was about that first half.
Similar to that, the 2025 calendar 12 months is over for the U.S. workforce. Let’s have a look at this sport and what unfolded after it.
Who stood out/didn’t
The listing of gamers who helped their case is slightly apparent.
Alex Freeman: the Orlando Metropolis proper again had an incredible camp. The scuffle on the finish of the Paraguay sport introduced issues collectively and Pochettino marveled at how robust he’s. Then in opposition to Uruguay, he had two objectives and was strong defensively. Most significantly, he confirmed he might play with Dest – versus competing with Dest. The trendy sport calls for athleticism from fullbacks and Freeman brings it in droves.
— U.S. Soccer Males’s Nationwide Group (@USMNT) November 19, 2025
Sebastian Berhalter: the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder wasn’t the MOTM in opposition to Uruguay, however he wasn’t far behind Freeman for the consideration. He is a wonderful passer and his set piece deliveries are pretty much as good as anybody within the pool. Central midfield is aggressive on the U.S. workforce, however Berhalter is competing in addition to anybody.
— U.S. Soccer Males’s Nationwide Group (@USMNT) November 19, 2025
Diego Luna: has already made impression this 12 months however he as soon as once more performed with aggression and was rewarded with a aim.
John Tolkin: At this level, it looks like Antonee Robinson’s well being has him as a toss-up (at greatest) to make this workforce. Pochettino has been rolling with Max Arfsten for many of 2025, but when he needs one other left-footed possibility for the place, Tolkin confirmed he’s additionally within the combine.
Auston Trusty: The Celtic defender has been within the combine for awhile however he was lastly given a begin in opposition to Uruguay. He picked up an help on the second aim from Freeman.
Tanner Tessmann: sure, the depth was dialed again when he got here into the sport with the U.S. up by three objectives and Uruguay all the way down to 10 males. However he nonetheless scored and constructed off the momentum of efficiency in opposition to Paraguay.
As for who didn’t, the one starters who didn’t have nice video games had been Matt Freese – who appeared shaky. Freese remains to be more likely to make the World Cup workforce by advantage of beginning each sport because the summer time. However he nonetheless must battle to begin. Additionally, Haji Wright was largely invisible up high in opposition to Uruguay. When it comes to each video games, Ricardo Pepi additionally failed to go away his mark.
A-team, B-team nonsense
One of many largest speaking factors after the sport was Pochettino’s press convention when he erupted after this primary two questions on questioning about how the workforce performed whereas “missing regular” gamers. This echoed the speak over the summer time when he didn’t like the concept of calling the Gold Cup workforce a “B team.”
This was simply response to the opening query concerning the efficiency with so many regulars lacking.
Pochettino HATES the mindset of “A” groups, “B” groups, “rotated squads,” “missing regulars,” and all different phrases used to explain it
He made that very clear simply now after the #USMNT win
“it’s so disrespectful” pic.twitter.com/2iwkQBwmRK
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) November 19, 2025
Pochettino has by no means preferred he thought of 1 roster being superior to a different. For him, it’s all the time the US males’s nationwide workforce no matter who’s on it.
However his response on this press convention was so forceful and so emotional, it requires extra evaluation.
First, Pochettino’s response is probably going additionally to defend the gamers on this roster who put collectively essentially the most profitable window in years for the nationwide workforce. He was doubtless very happy with the efficiency and doesn’t suppose they should be seen as reserves or backups.
That would as a result of he needs to see them be spoken about respectfully as elite American worldwide gamers. But additionally, he may see a number of of them as potential starters. Many followers and plenty of within the media spend time making an attempt to grasp Pochettino with out realizing that he’s telling you all you might want to know – particularly with regards to concepts of respect and competitors.
Pochettino has mentioned numerous instances that there’s an open competitors for roster spots. Which means no such distinction between a high lineup or a secondary lineup exists but. These ideas all develop into tied collectively when he needs respect for all of the gamers who at the moment are competing for spots on the World Cup workforce. They’re all U.S. internationals, as decided by him, a extremely completed coach of the nationwide workforce.
Coming off an emotional 5-1 win, a part of Pochettino’s emotion might simply be wanting to make sure that the gamers who delivered him this victory weren’t known as “second stringers.” He’s on the facet of those gamers and he wished everybody to know that.
There may be additionally this, from Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa – who was a really shut mentor to Pochettino over the course of many years. .
Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure as Uruguay coach is on skinny ice after a 5-1 loss to the USMNT.
“In no way should the best Uruguayan players lose a match against the second-string group of the United States,” Bielsa mentioned on Tuesday. https://t.co/LAcZ6n5nD3
— Felipe Cárdenas (@FelipeCar) November 19, 2025
After the sport, Bielsa spoke first adopted by Pochettino. We don’t know if Pochettino was conscious Bielsa mentioned this when he began his press convention however Pochettino confirmed up on the press convention extra energetic than typical, though it didn’t appear as festive because it was the day earlier than the match.
If he was conscious of Bielsa’s feedback, possibly it made Pochettino extra on edge concerning the matter when he took to the microphone. With him already not liking the idea of first groups or second groups from reporters or followers, it will have stung Pochettino extra if it got here from Bielsa.
However what the reporters mentioned was far milder than what Bielsa mentioned minutes earlier than. No matter whether or not Bielsa’s feedback made Pochettino extra delicate concerning the matter, Pochettino made it clear that he doesn’t have a rating but – and he has the ultimate say on these issues throughout the U.S. workforce.
What might a World Cup roster seem like?
After each window, the U.S. nationwide workforce depth chart adjustments – which is ok. However for Pochettino, it’s about trusting gamers and discovering these he’s comfy placing into troublesome conditions.
Simply as this window modified issues quite a bit, the March window might do the identical as properly. MLS gamers will quickly (or have already) entered their offseason. That can have an effect on issues as properly.
Nonetheless, this previous camp was positively factor for these concerned and plenty of obtained a lift. In fact, there are many gamers not concerned who will make the World Cup workforce – gamers reminiscent of Christian Pulisic and Chris Richards are definitely in extraordinarily robust positions.
However how about gamers reminiscent of Yunus Musah, Johnny Cardoso, James Sands, Alex Zendejas, Jack McGlynn, Kristoffer Lund, or Josh Sargent? These are bubble gamers who doubtless now discover themselves behind others. Musah and Cardoso have been concerned with the nationwide workforce program for 5 years. Musah hasn’t progressed a lot within the final 4 years and is not taking part in at Atalanta, whereas Cardoso has by no means seen his membership success translate over to the U.S. workforce.
However then there are gamers who’re very more likely to make it in the long run however nonetheless should proceed to play properly – Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Tyler Adams.
After having listened to Pochettino the previous few months because the fall, it appears very potential that at the very least one title one each fan or media’s projected roster could possibly be reduce.
Nobody is above being compelled to compete and play properly in camp.
There may be nonetheless plenty of time and something can occur, however here’s a projection anyway.
Projected USMNT roster
Goalkeepers (3): Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte
Defenders (9): Max Arfsten, John Tolkin, Alex Freeman, Sergino Dest, Chris Richareds, Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Auston Trusty
Midfielders (7): Tyler Adams, Christian Roldan, Aidan Morris, Tanner Tessmann, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna
Forwards (7): Brenden Aaronson, Diego Luna, Malik Tillman, Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic, Haji Wright, Folarin Balogun
