Arya News - Vibes are flowing, momentum is growing and … That’s it until springtime. See you in March, boys.
TAMPA, Fla. — This fall, in six friendlies over three camps spread across six states and three time zones, the U.S. men"s national soccer team forged an identity and embraced Mauricio Pochettino’s culture.
It played with personality and commitment, beating four other teams preparing for the 2026 World Cup . The year ended Tuesday with a 5-1 stunner over Uruguay , a result that will elicit double-takes around the planet.
Vibes are flowing, momentum is growing and …
That’s it until springtime. See you in March, boys.
National teams must follow FIFA’s international calendar, which means Pochettino can’t recall his full set of players until the March 23-31 window — the last camp before his World Cup roster decisions are announced in late May.
So now what?
European-based players will rejoin clubs this week and engage in league and cup competitions the next four months. That’s a long time. A lot can happen: injuries, fitness issues, changes in playing time, fluctuations in performance.
Players employed in Major League Soccer are in the final stretch of the playoffs or already in the offseason. They won’t report to 2026 preseason camps until mid-January and won’t play a competitive match until February. (With his player pool narrowing for the World Cup, Pochettino chose not to conduct an MLS-heavy winter camp.)
The makeup of the next camp — expected to be in Atlanta ahead of heavyweight friendlies against Portugal and Belgium at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — will undoubtedly look much different than this last one. Christian Pulisic and other regulars who missed this camp are expected to return.
From his home in London, Pochettino will monitor the talent pool. With his players back with their full-time employers, he must stand down.
“We need to understand it"s so difficult to be involved with the player now in this period,” Pochettino said. “We need to respect the coaching staff they have in their club. We need to really trust.”
His message to the players: “You need to push yourself in your team, but you need to work with your coaching staff, because we cannot go and be in the middle of your coaching staff.”
He added, “They need to do everything to be in the best form to be selected for March.”
An increasingly confident and cohesive U.S. men"s national team has hit its stride with the World Cup less than seven months away.
(John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF via Getty Images)
By the March camp, Pochettino can begin preparing for World Cup opponents. The draw will take place Dec. 5 in Washington.
The three fall camps provided a number of options for future call-ups. Thirty players received at least one start. Only goalkeeper Matt Freese was in every lineup and, in spite of a different backline combination each match, the U.S. defense did not concede more than one goal after losing the first game to South Korea, 2-0. Twelve different midfielders and six forwards started.
With the World Cup on the horizon, Pochettino figured to begin establishing greater consistency with his lineup selections. But player availability for training camps through the fall wasn’t consistent. And for those who did report to camp, Pochettino needed to remain mindful of their physical and mental stress in the middle of the club season.
Regardless of who was in each camp, players seemed to strengthen their bonds and grow as a team on and off the field.
“It"s one of the better camps we"ve had in a long time,” midfielder Cristian Roldan said after Tuesday’s match. “I think the most important thing is that everybody contributed. So everybody feels part of a great camp. It"s a beautiful thing.”
Through the fall, Pochettino gained a clearer view of his probable World Cup squad. Things could certainly change in the coming months, but at the moment:
Goalkeepers: Freese is the clear-cut No. 1 goalkeeper, with Matt Turner’s experience probably keeping him as the primary backup. (Turner wasn’t called into this camp.)
Fullbacks: Outside backs Alex Freeman and Max Arfsten — young MLS players who have excelled for Pochettino — are going to make it. Should he remain healthy, right back/right wing Sergiño Dest is in. Joe Scally is in contention. Antonee Robinson’s knee troubles have kept him from playing internationally the past year and, unless he returns to full fitness at Fulham and earns Premier League playing time, he won’t make the March list. In Robinson’s place, John Tolkin adds depth on the left.
Center backs: Chris Richards and Tim Ream are the top center backs, but Pochettino is going to need at least two more. Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie and Auston Trusty are in the mix. Could Triston Blackmon get another look?
Midfielders: The midfield competition is fierce. Tyler Adams, the 2022 World Cup captain, missed the past two camps but seems certain to return in March. A starting role in Pochettino’s preferred two-man defensive midfield is not guaranteed, however. Tanner Tessmann is getting regular time and Sebastian Berhalter was fabulous Tuesday. Roldan and Aidan Morris are also vying for time.
Gio Reyna’s successful return this month thrust him back into the attacking midfield conversation. Pulisic, Tim Weah and Weston McKennie are sure to return, and a healthy Malik Tillman would contend for a March call-up. Pochettino has brought along Diego Luna and seems to like Brendan Aaronson as a second-half spark. Will Yunus Musah, Johnny Cardoso and Alex Zendejas resurface?
Forwards: Folarin Balogun is Pochettino’s top striker and, barring a drop in production at Monaco, will remain so. Haji Wright’s scoring exploits for club and country will keep him on Balogun’s heels. Ricardo Pepi, the only outfield player to not start in the November camp, will need to improve his standing at PSV Eindhoven before earning another call-up. Patrick Agyemang didn’t make this camp but could return in March. Barring a scoring deluge at Norwich City, Josh Sargent is likely done with the national team.
Creating competition for starting roles and roster places was Pochettino’s aim this year. He accomplished that. He implemented a formation that has taken hold, complete with wing backs and typically three center backs. His high-pressure tactics have resulted in turnovers, which have led to prime scoring chances (see the Saturday winner and the third goal Tuesday.)
In a nutshell, things are coming along nicely.
“It was a good way to end off the year and I think the guys are happy,” Luna said. “This is what we"re leaving off with and this is what"s going to be that last taste in our mouth until we get back out here, whichever guys get called back in March. That"s the standard, so we’ve got to match it.”