Mauricio Pochettino unveiled the United States' 26-man World Cup roster Tuesday afternoon from Manhattan, and the lineup proved heavy on continuity with a few head-turning decisions sprinkled in.
The squad Pochettino announced at Pier 17 matches what the Guardian had reported over the weekend. But beneath the official confirmation lay some unusual selections that immediately raised questions about the coach's thinking.
The biggest surprise centered on who didn't make it. Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, who earned the second-most minutes of any attacking player under Pochettino in his 19 months on the job, found himself cut. So did central midfielders Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris, both considered strong contenders. Yet Club América winger Alejandro Zendejas, who has logged just 139 minutes under Pochettino during that same period, made the cut.
The core of the 2022 squad in Qatar returns largely intact. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards and Tim Weah anchor a roster that includes 13 players with World Cup experience. An equal number of debutants round out the group, which draws from 16 different leagues across 12 countries.
Pochettino said in his announcement that the decision came after a rigorous evaluation. "We are confident this is the best group of 26 players to help us achieve success at the World Cup," he stated. "These were very difficult decisions, and we are thankful to all the players who were part of this journey. This group is very focused and ready to give everything they have to represent the United States and deliver performances that will make the fans and the country proud."
The final roster emerged from a compressed cycle in which Pochettino had called on 61 different players overall. That deep roster evaluation now funnels down to 26 for the tournament itself.
The team's schedule before the World Cup kicks off with a warm-up match against Senegal on May 31 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The US then faces Germany on June 6 in Chicago before arriving at their California training base on June 7.
The tournament opener comes on June 12 against Paraguay in Inglewood. The US faces Australia on June 19 in Seattle and closes group play against Turkey on June 25 back in Inglewood.
Author James Rodriguez: "The Luna snub raised eyebrows because of his recent run of form and minutes, but Pochettino clearly saw something he liked in Zendejas that the casual observer might have missed."
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