NEW YORK – On a humid, sunny day at Pier 17, the U.S. men’s national team revealed a World Cup roster we knew was coming.
Mauricio Pochettino, as well as several USMNT players, spoke to the media. Some of their comments helped answer questions stemming from the U.S.’s 26-man squad. Others provided little clarity ahead of a pair of friendlies against Senegal and Germany that will lead right into the team’s group stage opener against Paraguay on June 12th.
Here’s what we learned – and didn’t – about the United States’ roster.
Pochettino’s unexpected midfield options
Johnny Cardoso’s ankle surgery ruling him out of the World Cup had already dealt a serious blow to the American midfield options, with the Atletico Madrid man coming off a promising March window. But when the roster was revealed, the omission of Tanner Tessmann, who was expected to be fit for the tournament, triggered concern about who would partner with Tyler Adams. The exclusion of Aidan Morris, seemingly poised to be the steely No. 6 to back up Adams, was also somewhat surprising.
The Tessmann decision in particular was proof that Pochettino’s emphasis on players arriving in the best condition to camp this month – meaning form and fitness, which Tessmann lacked – is real.
Pochettino had praised Tessmann’s soccer “brain” in March. But when he was asked about Tessmann on Tuesday, it wasn’t surprising Pochettino said he didn’t want to discuss players who weren’t selected. That’s been his refrain in the past. He also deflected a question about trusting Adams in particular, saying “I trust in the whole roster.”
He did, though, discuss what the midfield could look like, mentioning several potential candidates for a deeper role.
The first two names mentioned by the U.S. manager on Tuesday were the only nominal defensive midfielders in the squad besides Adams: Sebastian Berhalter and Cristian Roldan. Then, Pochettino also mentioned Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman, who have both played as No. 8s for their clubs, though McKennie is far more experienced in that role than Tillman.
