USMNT squad: Mauricio Pochettino calls in 27 for friendlies against Portugal and Belgium

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US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has named a 27-player roster for the team’s last camp before he determines his final squad for this summer’s World Cup.

The group will play two high-profile friendlies in Atlanta over the next international window, with the US facing Belgium on Saturday 28 March (3.30pm ET) and Portugal on Tuesday 31 March (7pm ET).

The group called up by Pochettino are close to a first-choice selection, with the notable exception of midfielder Tyler Adams, who sat out Bournemouth’s scoreless draw with Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday. Adams had recently completed his comeback from a torn MCL, and started Bournemouth’s previous three matches.

Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, who broke into a regular role with the US last year, also missed out. Luna only recently played his first minutes of the year, coming on as a sub for RSL in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Austin FC. Luna had been absent with a knee injury to start the MLS season.

Here’s the full squad to face Belgium and Portugal:

Goalkeepers

Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)

The all-MLS group comprises a quartet of Pochettino regulars. Freese has started most games under the Argentinian, with Turner, the 2022 World Cup starter, now the most likely backup. Brady and Celentano are most likely in a battle to be the third goalkeeper at this summer’s tournament.

Defenders

Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Alex Freeman (Villareal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)

The recent hamstring injury to right-back Sergiño Dest changes the calculus for this group, with Scally and Freeman the natural choices to replace Dest in a starting XI. The US started to find success towards the end of 2025 after shifting to play with three center-backs, with Richards a locked-in starter. Ream is a regular selection alongside Richards, but the 38-year-old has had a subpar start to the MLS season. McKenzie, Miles Robinson, and Trusty will compete for the other spots, with Freeman and Scally capable of operating at center-back if needed.

Midfielders

Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Johnny Cardoso (Atlético Madrid), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)

Adams’s absence opens up an opportunity for a number of other options in central midfield. Morris joined the team for the final two international windows of 2025 and impressed in a 5-1 win over Uruguay. He has carried that form over to club level where he’s become a key figure in Middlesbrough’s push for promotion from the Championship. Cardoso has seen his minutes increase and his form upswing with Atlético Madrid, while Tessmann has gotten consistent minutes with Lyon.

Reyna returns to the team after impressing in the final international window of 2025, scoring a goal in a win against Paraguay and notching an assist in the 5-1 win over Uruguay. However, the playmaker has been on the field for just 28 minutes in 2026 with Borussia Mönchengladbach, with no appearances of any kind since January due in part to injury issues.

Forwards

Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Patrick Agyemang (Derby County), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (Milan), Tim Weah (Olympique Marseille)

Haji Wright left Coventry City’s match over the weekend with a groin injury, making the striker options a three-man group of Agyemang, Balogun, and Pepi, who only recently came back from a broken arm. Pulisic’s recent form with Milan has not matched his hot start to the season, but he remains the focal point of this group and it’s likely his play will be vital to the US in this window and at the World Cup.

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