SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JULY 01: Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of the United States, celebrates victory after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)
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With the 2026 FIFA World Cup two months behind us, U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino figures that it was time to turn the page.
That would be turning the page to the future, looking at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2030 World Cup.
He made his point on Thursday with his actions and words. Pochettino called in 12 players who have never played for the USMNT
The 28-player roster averages 22 years and nine months, about four years younger than the 2026 U.S. World Cup team. Eight are teenagers. A dozen players will be eligible to play for the U.S. Under-23 national team at the Olympics.
“Now it’s a fresh start,” Pochettino said during a Zoom press conference after the roster announcement. “It’s a new start. Of course, all [players] have the door open, but now it’s not what [he] did in the past.”
It is time to see if these young players can swim at the deep end of the pool.
It makes sense because Pochettino and his coaching staff will have time to see how these youngsters fare and develop for club and country.
“If these guys are here and perform in the way we expect, they are going to have the opportunity maybe to keep playing,” said Pochettino, who guided the USA to the Round of 16 at this summer’s World Cup. “Everyone says that name needs to be here because the past performance, [they] score goals. No, no. Now it’s a fresh start. It’s a new style. Of course, all have the door open, but now it’s not what I did in the past. … Now, it’s about today. Football is about today. Soccer is about today, and that is the way we want to build that cycle.”
In an expanded FIFA international window for September and October, the Americans will meet Peru in Orlando, Fla., on Sept. 26, Chile in St. Louis on Sept. 29, Mexico in Glendale, Ariz., on Oct. 3, and Canada in St. Paul, Minn. on Oct. 6.
HARRISON, NEW JERSEY – FEBRUARY 28: Julian Hall #16 of the New York Red Bulls reacts after scoring a goal during the second half of a match against the New England Revolution at Sports Illustrated Stadium on February 28, 2026 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
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The uncapped dozen
The 12 uncapped players, with their teams and ages:
Goalkeeper Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub, Denmark). 20
Goalkeeper Brian Schwake (Nashville SC, MLS), 25
Defender Payton Miller (New England Revolution, MLS), 18
Defender Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union, MLS), 18
Defender Frankie Westfield (Philadelphia Union, MLS), 20
Midfielder Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), 17
Midfielder Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace, England), 19
Midfielder Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls), 17
Midfielder Brooklyn Raines (New England Revolution, MLS), 21
Forward Cole Campbell (SV Elversberg, Germany), 20
Forward Justin Ellis (Orlando City, MLS), 19
Forward Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls, MLS), 18
Forward Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union, MLS), 16
CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 1: Cavan Sullivan #6 of the Philadelphia Union moves the ball against Atlanta United FC at Subaru Park on August 1, 2026 in Chester, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
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Cavan Sullivan is making a big splash already
Sullivan is the most intriguing name on the list. On Monday, he was named Major League Soccer’s Player of the Matchday after scoring twice and assisting on a third goal in the Union’s 5-0 victory over San Diego FC on Sunday, Sept. 13.
The Philadelphia native has accumulated nine goals and 15 assists across all competitions this year. He will be eligible to sign with Manchester City in the Premier League when he turns 18 next year.
“He deserves it, he deserves all the praise he’s getting,” Pochettino said. “He is playing well, giving assists and scoring goals. He is 16. The important thing is to be with him and provide a solid pattern and support. Still, he needs to show, to improve, to evolve, and be more mature, and he’s only 16. He’s a kid. But I think the most important thing is that we have the opportunity because he deserves to show us in the national team the possibilities to share ideas, listen to him, to understand how he is. He is special because he is 16 years old and playing in MLS, playing at a very high level.”
Sullivan will turn 17 on Sept. 28.
If he makes his U.S. debut in one of four upcoming friendlies, Sullivan will become the second-youngest player to play for the team, behind just Freddy Adu. Adu made his USMNT debut at 16 years, 243 days, coming on as a substitute in a scoreless tie against Canada on Jan. 22, 2006.
US Argentine head coach Mauricio Pochettino looks on ahead of the 2026 World Cup Group D football match between USA and Paraguay at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images)
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Pochettino, who signed a four-year deal with the U.S. Soccer Federation in August to continue as USMNT head coach, said that he was looking forward to his latest challenge. He realized there will be ups and downs along the way.
“I think that is for me a great opportunity to meet these guys, to see them, to analyze, to see the things to improve, in the way that they can evolve,” he said. “They are not all the same. They have different characters, different personalities, different backgrounds, different feels, different, you know, are brave in different ways. They need to make mistakes, but we need to be there to try to fix that, to provide different arguments, different tools for them to keep improving.”
And perhaps these youngsters will help Pochettino turn the page and write some new pages of U.S. men’s soccer history as well.
Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on X an Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter’s perspective, has been published.
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