For all the excitement that a youth-heavy U.S. men’s national team generated earlier this fall in the Stars and Stripes’ first games since the 2026 FIFA World Cup, don’t expect the roster that coach Mauricio Pochettino drops next week ahead of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals vs. Haiti to include quite as many fresh faces.
Sure, emerging teenage stars Julian Hall and Cavan Sullivan deserve to be included after helping the U.S. top Mexico, Canada, Chile and Peru in late September and early October and continuing to produce in MLS.
Those games didn’t count in any standings, though. In this two-leg, total-goals-wins series with Les Grenadiers, a spot in March’s final four is on the line. That means that most of the rest of the youngsters will instead report to camps in Europe for the U.S. under-20s and U-23s — the latter of which will double as the men’s Olympic squad in 2028 — while some of the most experienced Americans come back in.
Who will Poch pick? My best guesses are below.
*Denotes a player who is injured
**Denotes a player age-eligible for the 2028 Olympics
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Just missed out: Ricardo Pepi*, Haji Wright*, Patrick Agyemang*, Zavier Gozo**, Brian White, Milan Iloski*, Preston Judd
In a perfect world, Ellis and Hall would continue their development with Steve Cherundolo’s squad. But with Balogun having barely played this season and Pepi, Wright and Agyemang all unavailable, Pochettino might have no choice but to bring one or both of them back to the senior team next month.
Folarin Balogun this summer during the knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
With a trip to the Nations League finals at stake, Poch probably has to call in Balogun, too, even though a knee issue has limited the USA’s breakout star of the World Cup to just four substitute appearances for Monaco and a total of 74 minutes played since the summer. If not, don’t sleep on White. The 30-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps veteran has 18 goals in MLS and a bruising style that matches up well against the physical Haitians.
Note: Sullivan is also age-eligible for the 2028 Olympics.
Just missed out: Brenden Aaronson, Mathis Albert**, Cole Campbell**, Diego Luna*, Alex Zendejas, Peyton Miller**
As lineup mainstays for their clubs, Dest and Reyna are shoo-ins. Pulisic’s inclusion isn’t as certain. Lead U.S. assistant coach Jesus Perez was inside Milan’s San Siro Stadium on Wednesday, where he watched Pulisic come off the bench in the hosts’ 4-2 loss to Bologna. Still, Pulisic, who scored his second goal of the Italian season last weekend, probably returns for the first time since the World Cup.
Cavan Sullivancelebrates scoring against Mexico in a friendly earlier this month. (Photo by Taylor Banner/USSF/Getty Images)
The oft-injured Cardoso appeared poised for a recall after ankle surgery cost him a World Cup trip, but now the Atlético Madrid man is sidelined by a hamstring strain. Though Tessmann is beginning to find his form for Lyon, that opens the door for Morris, who has been sensational all season for Premier League promotion race-leading Boro.
Just missed out: Neil Pierre**, George Campbell, Cameron Carter-Vickers
Richards produced his best performance of the season Wednesday in Palace’s 1-0 EFL Cup win over London rivals Fulham; the 26-year-old remains the USA’s defensive anchor.
Chris Richards looks for an open teammate during a friendly against Canada earlier this month. (Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Freeman and Jedi are the undisputed starters at right and left back. Who’s behind them is much less clear. Neither Scally nor Weah were named in September, but both are playing regularly and well for their clubs. Scally’s three goals are as many as he’s had in the last three seasons combined, while Marseille captain Weah scored his first of 2026-27 last weekend.
These matches count, so expect the versatile two-time World Cup vets to return next month — especially with Arfsten still finding his feet in his first campaign with Middlesbrough while Bombino and Westfield are destined for youth national team duty.
Just missed out: Diego Kochen**
Who’ll be in goal against Haiti? Freese, the World Cup No. 1, went just 45 minutes in the USA’s last four games and has been outplayed in MLS this season by both the newcomer Schwake and Qatar 2022 starter Turner.
Brian Schwake during USA’s international friendly against Canada at the beginning of October. (Photo by Jeremy Olson/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
