Pre-match: 2026 World Cup Roster

*Starting*. He played every available minute and was our most important player in that tournament.

 

I watched a show - never heard of it before and don't remember the name or who broadcast it - with Samson, Klinsmann and Bradley with Stu Holden and Samson was asked about adding a player to the WC squad late in the process, because he had added Regis. He said that he added Regis because he was highly skilled and fast RB option - moreso than the incumbent, Agoos. But if he had to do it again, he wouldn't have added Regis, because there was not enough time for Regis to become acclimated to his teammates - learning how they played, moved and where they wanted the ball, etc. A lot of that is what coaches look for as they gather players together leading up to the WC, and then the job of the coach is to pick out the ones that fit best with the 'key' players. It was an interesting discussion...

 

My post concerned the player's pathway, not the likelihood of Gozo's making the team.

 

I continue to stan for Montrell Culbreath. He's played for German youth teams, but might be convinced to switch for a World Cup roster spot.

He recently started against second place Dortmund, a 1-0 victory for Leverkeusen.

This kid is the real deal - I want him over Berhalter, Luna, Roldan, or Aaronsen if we're down 1-0 and need a goal with 20 minutes left. Maybe want him over Reyna too.

https://www.transfermarkt.us/montrell-culbreath/leistungsdaten/spieler/1058514

 

Montrell Culbreath's chances of being on the USMNT roster are 0.00000%.

Poch is not in experimenting mode in terms of the players. The team in the team.

If Culbreath is willing to switch, then he's one for the next coach to look at. Just like Gozo, Tsakiris, and others.

We're literally weeks away from the World Cup squad announcement. We're way beyond the "this new guy had a good game last week, and should be called up" phase. Heck, we weren't even in that phase in the fall. There were no uncapped players in March. There was one field player with less than 10 caps (Trusty with 6). The average number of caps at that camp was 31. The team is the team...................

The only uncapped players that may make the next camp, which will be the World Cup group, could be the 3rd string keeper. Chris Brady or Roman Celentano. They've been at camps this year and last, but have no caps.

 

Montrell is a very level prospect and has all the attributes that you want from a modern wide attacker. He has speed, quickness, work-rate, and is very slick on the ball and can take on and beat defenders one v one. he is also a willing and aggressive defender which makes him a quality modern wingback.

The issue is that Germany is all over him and the dynamics have significantly changed since 2011 when Klinsmann snapped up all the top German/American dual nats.

The black dual nats in JJ's generation did not feel accepted by Germany and thought they would be more included in America. Many who played for the US went back to Germany reporting it was not any better and in many cases much worst.

The reality is also that Germany is currently viewed in a much better light while the view of the US has significantly declined. Things change.

 

I'm kind of intrigued by this. Is it because they are black or German as there are bunch of black players on the US team. I'd also almost like to guess which players grumbled.

 

FWIW in the SJ Earthquakes post-game press conference last night someone asked Bruce Arena about the possibility of Niko Tsakiris getting a call-up from Poch for this summer's WC. Bruce was careful not to grin before answering, but he shot down the idea that Poch would bring in a previously uncapped player. He did say he guessed Nico will be at the 2030 WC though. It's around minute 4:30.



Not much to argue with here to be fair.

 

Sometimes things are just bad timing in that the surge comes from a guy after it’s too late. Like if we had another camp some of these up and comers would likely have a chance. But it’s so unlikely right now barring injury.

 

Why do you guys keep insisting that Poch bring our best players?

 

There are no additional camps prior to squad announcement.
Squad announcement is May 26th at a big event in NYC.

So the squads for our last friendlies against Senegal on May 31st and Germany on June 6th are with the World Cup squad.

All vetting of players has already happened. There are no more opportunities for new players.

Its go time. The team is the team.

I imagine that Pochettino has his squad RIGHT NOW, and will just watch the group over the next couple of weeks for injuries, players returning to full fitness, etc. Needs to see if Dest can go, for instance. Planning for those contingencies within the group of players he's worked with. He's not sitting there watching MLS games thinking "I wonder which new guy is in form this week."

 

Whats neat is post 2026 we get to hate Mexico again! Rafa Marquez is gonna be their coach next cycle. This rivalry needed a little juice. Thatll get it back where we want it to be.

 

Gladbach's last game of season is May 16, 2026. Leeds and Atletico Madrid's final game of season is May 24.

Reyna, Aaronsen, and Cardoso are three players Poch will be watching as the season ends, to see who is in form.

 

At this point, I think Aaronson is safely in.

He's been in the squad, whether starting or on the bench, for 14 of our last 16 games.

My concern with Aaronson is the number of games and minutes that guy will have played this season. Is he going to be dead tired? Leeds could play into the FA Cup final. Between the USMNT and Leeds, he's very likely to hit 3000 minutes as we go into final World Cup preparations. And that guy works HARD.

I suspect that Poch has already made a decision on both Reyna and Cardoso. We just don't know what it is.

The thing is. Reyna has played well at times under Poch despite his lack of playing time in club soccer. I'm still leaning to Poch putting him in based on his comments about the player.

I don't know what to do with Johnny. No idea on that one.

Johnny Cardoso played in the Champions League quarterfinal series, and is now in the semifinal. We could actually have a guy win the Champions League and not make the USMNT World Cup roster. Legitimately.

Right now I have Johnny as one of the first men out. Just because he's barely played for the US in the last calendar year. And doesn't really have signature games in which he's played well for Pochettino.

[I have Berhalter as one of my last mien in instead. But it can go either way.]

 

Yeah, probably still being evaluated in terms of PT, but not roster. Some folks have advocated starting him, and I've thought that to start Brendo is to commit to a sub around 70 minutes, because he only has one gear, and it's a gear no one can sustain for 90 minues.

 

He'd be a great player to bring off the bench when protecting a lead..............................

A totally different profile than a guy like Reyna. You might bring Reyna on in an attempt to create a bit of magic if you're behind.

 

Champions League final is May 30, so four days after roster announcement. Hard to see Cardoso not making it if he plays well in Champions League semis.

 

When the roster is announced there will be many feelings

 

He's played 56 minutes in our last 14 USMNT games.

Barely played for the USMNT since before the Gold Cup despite being on Atletico Madrid.

Its hard to know on that one.

Reyna barely plays in club soccer, but does have good performances for the USMNT under Pochettino. Cardoso is the opposite. He's playing for one of the biggest clubs in Europe, but I can't point to a single good performance he's had under Pochettino.

I think the former scenario matters more. Its why I'm currently including a guy like Roldan and leaving off Cardoso.

............................but I don't have a good feeling one way or the other. I'm willing to admit that I could be totally wrong on it.

Good players are going to be left off in central midfield.

 

There are going to be all of two or three decisions that will up for debate but there will still be many, many deep feelings.

 

It's interesting to consider which unusual ones could be announced, which 50/50 guys like Arf, or Berhalter, Reyna and/or Cardoso etc. I do think it's pretty easy to figure out most of the core, it's just a few guys here and there. I think there are about 3-5 openings, pending potential injuries right now being fought over on the edge, I think somewhere in the neighborhood of a core 20 is in place.

 

FTR, I'm not gonna yell and scream about Roldan, it's a fait accompli at this point to me. I don't agree, but I have no say in it, and I'm not gonna fight the tidal wave of how thoroughly he wins over coaches when he's called in.

 

I do think part of the Sampson issue there was that the '98 team was a classic all vet team with next to zero youngsters. A huge chunk of that team was built that cycle around the kids that formed that 1990 squad or at the latest the '94. Only a few guys were new like McBride and Heydude, which would make injecting a total outsider late in the process, even more alien than it normally would when you'd have the typical spread (1/5 19-21, 3/5 22-28 and 1/5 29-retirement age: something like that).

The current team is just weirdly structured, it's like:

70% 24-28
7.5% 29+
22.5% 18-24

We're heavily heavily heavily tilted towards 1997-2002 players, and then 2 30+ guys when more typically its about 4-6, and then the rest are 2003-2006ers.

It's a weird structure, which makes jumping in, I think probably someone easier. Otoh, the fundamental core has been playing together since they were U16's circa like 2014 or 2015 (Adams, McKennie, Pulisic etc), so maybe not so easy?

I'd be open to some last minute guys because there are some area's where we have immense drop off's in talent and upside at CB, FB, and WF and Striker.

 

Afrsten is safely in.

One of the most capped players under Pochettino.

He's played in 18 or our last 20 games.

..................................mostly because Antonee hasn't been Antonee. Still isn't as far as I can tell. Something's not right, but he's pushing for the World Cup.

And Tolkin's injury just solidified Arfsten's spot even more.

I completely agree with you that central midfield is crowded, and good players are going to be left out. You can't find a spot for Berhalter, Reyna, Cardoso, Morris, etc. on top of the players that we have a good feeling are going to be there. And you wouldn't need them all anyway. Difficult decisions must be made.

 

EDIT: COMPLETELY FORGET BRENDEN AND THUS WEAKENED MY ARGUMENT. That said, I think Zendejas is out at this point, so maybe not.

I mean, with Tolkin hurt, I don't know who gets brought instead of Arfsten. I guess you could play Weah over there or something but with a 26 man roster, it seems like he's in.

I'd just be shocked if these weren't all there:

CF: Balogun / Wright / Pepi
LW as CAM: Pulisic
RW/RWB: Dest / Weah
CAM: McKennie / Tillman
CM: Adams / Tessman
CB: Richards / Ream / McKenzie / Trusty
RB / CB: Freeman
LB/LWB: Jedi / Arfsten
GK: Freese / Turner

That's 19 of 26, with 7 question marks. But it's smaller than that, really.

1 Keeper, probably between Brady and Schulte
1-2 of Miles Robinson or Joe Scally
2-3 of Roldan, Johnny, Berhalter and Morris
2-3 of Brenden, Luna, and Reyna

(Obviously, injuries can change all this, for example if, Dest is out then I think that shifts a lot of those numbers).

But if you look at that ... take out 3rd string keeper because no one really should care ...

And it's 9 guys for 6 spots. (EDIT: I added Brenden here but I imagine both him and Luna are very close to locks ... I think it's really a question of Reyna or a central mid).

So all we're going to be arguing about, aside from the impassioned Musah crew, is basically over three changes, I suspect. By definition, these guys would actually likely cut from a 23 man (well, by Poch anyway).

Maybe Poch will throw curveballs ... but I really don't see why.

My guess is that 3 of those 6 are Luna, Aaronson and Roldan. I think Morris is almost certainly on the outside. Leaving 3 spots for the remaining 5. At that point, though I don't know if I'd bring him, I think you take one of the defenders, Johnny, and one of the defensively challenged but offensively intriguing Reyna or Berhalter.