The current United States Men`s National Team camp represents the longest consecutive period Mauricio Pochettino will have the squad assembled since taking over in September 2024. However, the team faces additional absences among its key players, as Folarin Balogun, DeJuan Jones, and Sean Zawadzki have all departed the USMNT camp due to injuries. Walker Zimmerman, Nathan Harriel, and Paxten Aaronson have been called up to replace them on the roster for the upcoming friendly matches against Turkey and Switzerland, preceding the Gold Cup.
Monaco forward Folarin Balogun has sustained an ankle injury, which will prevent him from making his initial appearance under Pochettino`s leadership. Balogun was sidelined with a shoulder injury when the Argentine coach was appointed, and now he misses another camp, leaving the team without one of its primary strikers. Balogun isn`t the only prominent player missing; Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, and Gio Reyna are also unavailable.
With the Club World Cup scheduled for this summer, some players have club commitments that conflict with international duty. Christian Pulisic, specifically, was not selected to allow him to rest during the offseason. While the absence of star players might not significantly raise concerns during a typical Gold Cup, a tournament often featuring more domestically-based talent, this particular edition is more significant. As the Men`s World Cup is next summer, and the USMNT does not need to participate in World Cup qualifying, this tournament serves as the final competitive test before the major event.
Considering this camp is the longest time Pochettino has had with the first team, it presents a valuable opportunity to move past the disappointment of the Concacaf Nations League, where the USMNT finished third after Mexico lifted the trophy and Canada defeated them. Improvement is necessary under Pochettino, but achieving it will be more challenging if he cannot work with and fully integrate his system with the core group of USMNT players.
Balogun`s departure provides significant opportunities for Patrick Agyemang and Brian White. However, if the available forwards in the camp cannot find their goal-scoring form, the team`s recent struggles are likely to persist.
USMNT Roster
GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 0/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 30/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 51/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 33/2), Alex Freeman (Orlando City; 0/0), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 19/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 68/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 24/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 32/3), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 43/3)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 47/8); Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 44/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 0/0), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 18/0), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC; 24/1), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 4/0), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo; 4/1), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 0/0); Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 17/0)
FORWARDS (5): Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht/NED; 1/0), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 4/3), Damion Downs (FC Köln/GER; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 4/1), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 15/4)
Dominic Ashworth