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Pochettino Names Youthful 28-Player USMNT Roster

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 10:27 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Pochettino Picks Youth

U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino announced a 28-player USMNT roster that emphasizes youth.
The squad includes 12 MLS players, highlighted by 16-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan.
Christian Pulisic was left out while 13 World Cup veterans and 12 uncapped players were selected.
USMNT will face Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in September-October friendlies across Orlando, St. Louis, Glendale and St. Paul.

Summary

Sullivan Sets Record

Sullivan debuted as the youngest athlete ever in a major North American professional league.
He has recorded 11 assists this season, breaking Alphonso Davies’s teenage MLS assist record.
His contract guarantees a Manchester City transfer at age 18, a move that could shape future United States talent pipelines.
Philadelphia Union’s ten-game unbeaten run coincides with Sullivan’s surge, pushing the club toward a top-four Eastern seed.

History

Historical Context

When FIFA awarded the 1994 World Cup to the United States on July 4 1988, the tournament set a record 3,587,538 spectators and spurred a surge in youth registrations, prompting the creation of Major League Soccer in 1993. Decades later, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino continues that legacy by fielding a 28-player roster featuring teenage prodigy Cavan Sullivan, now signed by Manchester City.

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Pochettino Picks Youth

U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino announced a 28-player USMNT roster that emphasizes youth.
The squad includes 12 MLS players, highlighted by 16-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan.
Christian Pulisic was left out while 13 World Cup veterans and 12 uncapped players were selected.
USMNT will face Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada in September-October friendlies across Orlando, St. Louis, Glendale and St. Paul.

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