Pochettino Announces USMNT 2026 World Cup Roster: Reyna In, Luna Out

The time is now. Mauricio Pochettino has named his 26-man squad to represent the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As a host nation alongside Mexico and Canada, there will be immense pressure on the Red, White, and Blue, but that also extends to Pochettino as the Argentine manager has made tough calls to set the roster. Diego Luna was someone who was expected to be in the squad, but he misses out while Gio Reyna and Alex Zendejas are in. Meanwhile, Tyler Adams is the only true defensive midfielder due to the absence of Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris. And a whopping 10 defenders were included.

Let's take a look at the 26 for 26 and what to know about them:

Position Player Club Caps / Goals Hometown Goalkeeper Chris Brady Chicago Fire 0 / 0 Naperville, Ill. Goalkeeper Matt Freese New York City FC 14 / 0 Wayne, Pa. Goalkeeper Matt Turner New England Revolution 53 / 0 Park Ridge, N.J. Defender Max Arfsten Columbus Crew 18 / 1 Fresno, Calif. Defender Sergiño Dest PSV Eindhoven 37 / 2 Almere, Netherlands Defender Alex Freeman Villarreal 15 / 2 Plantation, Fla. Defender Mark McKenzie Toulouse 27 / 0 Bear, Del. Defender Tim Ream Charlotte FC 80 / 1 St. Louis, Mo. Defender Chris Richards Crystal Palace 36 / 3 Birmingham, Ala. Defender Antonee Robinson Fulham 52 / 4 Liverpool, England Defender Miles Robinson FC Cincinnati 38 / 3 Arlington, Mass. Defender Joe Scally Borussia Mönchengladbach 24 / 0 Lake Grove, N.Y. Defender Auston Trusty Celtic 6 / 0 Media, Pa. Midfielder Tyler Adams AFC Bournemouth 52 / 2 Wappingers Falls, N.Y. Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter Vancouver Whitecaps 11 / 1 Columbus, Ohio Midfielder Weston McKennie Juventus 64 / 12 Little Elm, Texas Midfielder Gio Reyna Borussia Mönchengladbach 36 / 9 Bedford, N.Y. Midfielder Cristian Roldan Seattle Sounders 45 / 0 Pico Rivera, Calif. Midfielder Malik Tillman Bayer Leverkusen 28 / 3 Fürth, Germany Forward Brenden Aaronson Leeds United 57 / 9 Medford, N.J. Forward Folarin Balogun Monaco 25 / 8 London, England Forward Ricardo Pepi PSV Eindhoven 35 / 13 El Paso, Texas Forward Christian Pulisic AC Milan 84 / 32 Hershey, Pa. Forward Tim Weah Olympique Marseille 49 / 7 Rosedale, N.Y. Forward Haji Wright Coventry City 20 / 7 Los Angeles, Calif. Forward Alejandro Zendejas Club América 13 / 2 El Paso, Texas

Goalkeepers

Matt Freese (New York City, 14 caps/0 goals) Age: 27 Place of birth: Wayne, Pa.

Already a USMNT cult hero after a penalty kick shootout against Costa Rica in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Matt Freese is ready to write his next chapter with the squad. That chapter will follow the Harvard thesis he's already written on penalty kicks. Freese has put that into action during his career, where even with his club, New York City FC, he has been excellent in those scenarios. "Matty Ice" may be a nickname more akin to NFL quarterback Matt Ryan, but for Freese on penalties, he's been quite deserving of that, including in open play, where he has a strong hold on his box. Freese may not have debuted for the USMNT until kicking off the Gold Cup in June of 2025, but he's taken that chance and run with it, earning 14 caps since and putting himself in a strong position to be the number one in net for a World Cup on home soil.

Matt Turner (New England Revolution, 53/0) Age: 31 Place of birth: Park Ridge, N.J.

Matt Turner returns to the World Cup, this time as Freese's understudy after serving as the starter in 2022. His origin story is unusual – he did not get serious about soccer until his late teens, when his peers were already on professional pathways, and went unselected in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft. After a few trying years in Europe , he is now back at the club where he broke out, the New England Revolution, and might just be the most in-form goalkeeper on the USMNT. In his last outing in U.S. colors, though, a chance to overtake Freese came and went – he started the USMNT's 5-2 loss to Belgium in March, things not going to plan even if it would be hard to lay the blame at his feet. "I've stood in front of here and criticized myself many times but tonight, I felt like I did have some really good moments," he said that evening. "I was able to make some good saves. I just wish I could have one or two of 'em back because I don't think the scoreline really reflected the balance and flow of the game."

Chris Brady (Chicago Fire 0/0) Age:  22 Place of birth:  Naperville, Ill.

Pochettino's tenure has been marked by the opportunities he has handed to fringe talent when more experienced players were unavailable, Chris Brady amongst the bunch. The Chicago Fire academy product first joined the group for last summer's Concacaf Gold Cup and has been a frequent invite since, making the step up after representing the U.S. at youth levels. The 22-year-old may be the only uncapped player on the roster, but his inclusion might be with an eye towards the future, the focus likely to shift to some of the national team's up-and-coming goalkeepers once the World Cup is over.

Defenders

Sergino Dest (PSV, 37/2) Age:  25 Place of birth:  Almere, Netherlands

Consider Sergino Dest one of the missing pieces for a full-strength version of the USMNT. He has only played four games for the national team since Pochettino took charge in the fall of 2024, while sidelined with a series of injuries, but returned to play in May with PSV and should be ready to go when the World Cup begins. The Netherlands-born outside back is destined to play a key role for the U.S. team -- he boasts an impressive pedigree, coming up through the prestigious Ajax academy in Amsterdam and later playing for Barcelona. Teammate Chris Richards once described him as "probably the most attacking fullback in the world," making him a real asset for an attack-minded USMNT that will benefit from two very talented outside backs in Dest and Antonee Robinson. Dest is also known for his flair and might be good for one or two highlight-reel worthy moments this summer --  watch out for a nutmeg !

Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 52/4) Age:  28 Place of birth:  Milton Keynes, England

Antonee Robinson's absence has been felt. The England-born outside back is one of the Premier League's best, but a long-term knee injury meant he went almost 18 months without playing for the national team, though he finally made his long-awaited return for the USMNT's friendlies in March. He was a sight for sore eyes even amidst defeats to Belgium and Portugal, his dynamic attack-minded play on the flank offering a stark reminder of why he won U.S. Soccer's male player of the year award after a successful stretch of matches in 2024. It was a relief for the player, too, after undergoing knee surgery last summer and being pestered by the injury months later. "There was no sort of certainty on my end that I was going to be fit and available and make it [to the World Cup] because it just seemed like there was kind of no light at the end of the tunnel but thankfully, I feel like I'm past that point now," he said in March . "It's really exciting to be back with the boys." Just don't call him Antonee – he has gone by "Jedi" since he was a child, even in professional settings, earning the nickname thanks to his affinity for the "Star Wars" films.

Tim Ream (Charlotte FC, 80/1) Age:  38 Place of birth:  St. Louis, Mo.

The USMNT's elder statesman, 38-year-old Tim Ream, has been a mainstay as he watched his teammates come of age from the last World Cup to this one. Ream presents himself as a conduit for the coaching staff to his fellow players and a calmly honest spokesman of sorts for all. His decade of work in England has earned him the respect of his teammates. "I've worked under a lot of different managers, a lot of different systems and what they're doing here is not too dissimilar to what I did at Fulham for many, many years under Marco [Silva]," he noted after the U.S.' 1-1 draw with Ecuador in October, reflecting on Pochettino's switch to a back three that he later described as a "stroke of genius" from a tactical perspective. "For me, understanding and seeing the game from a different perspective, being a center back and being older, it doesn't take long for me to grasp new ideas and tactics." Ream may have another problem on his hands entirely – Father Time has been unkind to him in recent months, including in March's defeat to Belgium, raising questions about whether or not the USMNT's most consistent fixture will actually be in the lineup once the World Cup begins.

Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, 36/3) Age:  26 Place of birth: Birmingham, Ala.

A handful of players have wrestled for the title of the U.S.' most important player at this World Cup, but as this summer's tournament finally arrives, the crown rests firmly on Chris Richards' head . The center back has become a steady force at center back, exuding not just competence but confidence at the same time -- and a delightful sense of humor. He described center backs as "a little sick in the head" for their willingness to do soccer's scut work, making him a professional and affable leader for the USMNT. He keeps the vibes high off the field, too -- he was part of a group of players who recently treated their England-born and bred teammates to Chili's, intent on providing them with an authentically American experience. "The Triple Dipper you have to get, but then I think it's the endless chips and salsa, but then also there's sports on TV, and also the chocolate molten lava cake, and it's just like you're sitting there and you're looking at the ground, the tile," he recalled. "You're like, this is beautiful. This is nostalgia. This is really America."

Mark McKenzie (Toulouse, 27/0) Age:  27 Place of birth:  Bronx, N.Y.

Moving to Toulouse in France in 2024 from Genk, Mark McKenzie's game has taken a massive step forward as he earned regular playing time in a top league. One of many players in this roster with MLS roots, coming from the Philadelphia Union system, McKenzie has yet to truly break out as a member of the national team, but making a World Cup roster for the first time in his career is a significant step. Someone who has also talked about the art of defending with Pochettino, it's clear that McKenzie is doing what he can to soak up experience under the Argentine.

Miles Robinson   (FC Cincinnati, 38/3) Age:  29 Place of birth: Arlington, Mass.

The heart of the FC Cincinnati defense, Miles Robinson, is someone who consistently enters when Pochettino wants to close out a game. When you have 26 players available, not every single one needs to be a starter in the squad, and that's where knowing your role is a moment to shine. Given the lack of depth at center back and Pochettino wanting to employ a back three during the World Cup, knowing that he'll get consistency from players is important.

Alex Freeman (Villarreal, 15/2) Age:  21 Place of birth:  Baltimore, Md.

There may not be a player who has had a faster rise on the USMNT in the last year than Alex Freeman. Just over a year ago, he was making his first start for Orlando City SC, and now he has qualified for Champions League soccer with Villarreal and is on the way to his first World Cup. Freeman has come a long way since his debut facing Turkiye, where the challenge of defending against Kenan Yildiz was a moment that showed he belongs and can compete at this level. Freeman has improved at every challenge that has come his way, and when it comes to the World Cup, that will be no different. Closing out the season, being able to make regular appearances for Villarreal showed his improvement in LaLiga and at the World Cup, he can rise to yet another challenge. Not only will he be a backup at wing back, but if push comes to shove, the 21-year-old defender may also need to be used as a third center back, showcasing his versatility.

Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew, 18/1) Age:  25 Place of birth:  Fresno, Calif.

From the Olympics to the World Cup, the Columbus Crew man has shown the pat

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/full-usmnt-world-cup-roster-2026/)._