9 min read · 1,837 words
Mauricio Pochettino has made his decisions, and they are, by turns, predictable, defensible, and quietly fascinating. The United States’ 26-man World Cup roster — obtained by the Guardian ahead of Tuesday’s official announcement in New York City — confirms two of the summer’s more debated selection calls: Club América winger Alejandro Zendejas is in, Lyon defensive midfielder Tanner Tessmann is not. Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Gio Reyna makes the cut; Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna does not.
US Soccer declined to comment on the leaked roster, but multiple sources with knowledge of Pochettino’s selections confirmed its authenticity to the Guardian. The formal unveiling comes Tuesday at a nationally televised event, which means the next 48 hours will be spent arguing about a squad that everyone already knows. Such is modern football.
The 2026 World Cup — hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico — begins in June, with the USMNT entering as one of the tournament’s more intriguing quantities. Pochettino inherited a transitional side and has spent the better part of a year trying to impose tactical coherence on a group of players whose club situations range from the genuinely elite to the quietly complicated. This squad tells you quite a lot about where he has landed.
The Zendejas Decision: Logic Over Sentiment
Alejandro Zendejas is, by any reasonable measure, a left-field pick in the sense that he only recently committed his international future to the United States rather than Mexico. He is not, however, a left-field pick in the sense of being undeserving. The Club América winger has been one of the more consistent wide forwards in Liga MX over the past two seasons, and Pochettino — whose tactical instincts lean toward direct, high-tempo wide play — clearly sees something he can use.
What Zendejas offers is fairly straightforward: pace, directness, and the ability to carry the ball into dangerous areas against a retreating defensive line. He is not a creator in the traditional sense, but in a system that asks wide forwards to stretch defences and create second-ball situations, he fits. The question is whether he can replicate Liga MX form against the kind of defensive organisation he will encounter in the knockout rounds of a World Cup, should the USMNT get there.
The more interesting subtext here is what Zendejas’s inclusion says about Pochettino’s wider attacking philosophy. The USMNT have historically struggled to find the right balance between technical quality and physical directness in wide areas. Zendejas leans toward the latter, which suggests Pochettino is prioritising runners over creators at this particular moment.
Tessmann’s Omission: The Hardest Call
Tanner Tessmann is the name that will generate the most debate, and not without justification. The Lyon midfielder has had a genuinely strong season in Ligue 1, developing into one of the more accomplished defensive midfielders of his generation in American football. He reads the game well, covers ground efficiently, and offers the kind of positional discipline that Pochettino’s system typically demands from a holding midfielder.
And yet he is not going to the World Cup. The reasons are not entirely clear — Pochettino has not explained his thinking publicly, and US Soccer’s decision to decline comment on the leaked roster means we are left to speculate. The most plausible explanation is that Pochettino has settled on a specific midfield structure and Tessmann does not fit the profile he needs in that particular role. It is also possible that fitness or form in the final weeks of the club season played a factor.
Whatever the reasoning, leaving out a player of Tessmann’s quality is a risk. Defensive midfield depth is not something you want to be short of at a major tournament, particularly one where the USMNT could face three group-stage matches in relatively quick succession. If the first-choice holding midfielder picks up a knock, Pochettino will need someone capable of doing a credible impression of the role. Whether the squad as constructed provides that remains to be seen.
Reyna In, Luna Out: Attacking Midfield Choices
What does Gio Reyna’s inclusion mean for the USMNT’s shape?
Gio Reyna’s selection was first reported by The Athletic, and it is the kind of decision that feels both obvious and slightly fraught. The Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder is, on talent alone, one of the most gifted players in the American player pool. His technical quality, his ability to find space between the lines, and his capacity to produce moments of genuine quality in tight areas make him a natural fit for an attacking midfield role in a possession-based system.
The complication, as it has always been with Reyna, is availability and consistency. His career at club level has been interrupted by injury more often than anyone would like, and there are legitimate questions about whether he can sustain the physical demands of a World Cup tournament across multiple matches. Pochettino has clearly decided the upside outweighs the risk, which is a defensible position — but it is a position, not a certainty.
Why has Diego Luna been left out?
Diego Luna’s omission is the other side of that coin. The Real Salt Lake midfielder has been one of the more consistent performers in MLS over the past year, and his form gave him a genuine case for inclusion. The fact that he has been left out in favour of Reyna tells you something about how Pochettino views the relative merits of European-based experience versus domestic form — and, more specifically, about the kind of technical profile he wants in that position.
Luna will be disappointed. Whether he has grounds to feel hard done by depends on how the tournament unfolds. If Reyna stays fit and performs, the decision looks shrewd. If Reyna struggles or picks up an injury, the question of why Luna was not included will resurface with some force.
The Broader Picture: What This Squad Tells Us
How does the USMNT roster compare to other squads announced so far?
The Independent’s tracker of all 48 squads makes for useful context. The USMNT roster sits comfortably in the middle tier of announced squads in terms of aggregate club quality — better than most of the tournament’s smaller nations, not quite at the level of the European heavyweights. That is roughly where you would expect them to be, and it is roughly where they need to be to have a realistic chance of progressing from their group.
The more pertinent comparison is with the squads they are likely to face. The 48-team format means the group-stage draw has produced some interesting combinations, and the USMNT will need to be tactically flexible across three matches that could vary enormously in terms of the opposition’s style and quality.
What is Sebastian Berhalter’s role in Pochettino’s plans?
Sebastian Berhalter — son of former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter — is included in the squad, which is worth noting if only because it will generate a certain amount of commentary. His selection should be judged on footballing merit rather than family connection, and the evidence from his club performances suggests he has earned his place. Whether he features prominently in Pochettino’s plans or serves primarily as squad depth is a question that will be answered over the course of the tournament.
How does the USMNT’s preparation compare to England’s?
England’s pre-tournament preparations have taken a slightly different shape. The Independent reports that Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri has been added to England’s pre-World Cup training camp alongside Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, Fulham’s Josh King, and Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha — a group of young players brought in to provide training-ground opposition and, in some cases, to put pressure on the senior squad. It is a fairly standard approach for a major tournament, and it reflects the kind of squad depth that the USMNT, with their smaller player pool, simply cannot replicate in the same way.
Forward Look: What the USMNT Need to Navigate
The World Cup begins in June, and the USMNT’s group-stage schedule will define the early weeks of the tournament for American football fans. Pochettino has constructed a squad that is coherent in its broad outlines — there is a clear defensive structure, a midfield with both industry and quality, and attacking options that offer different profiles depending on the opposition. The Tessmann omission creates a potential vulnerability in midfield depth, and the reliance on Reyna staying fit is a genuine concern, but these are manageable risks rather than structural flaws.
The bigger question is whether Pochettino has had enough time to embed his ideas. He arrived relatively late in the cycle, and the USMNT’s results under his management have been mixed. A home World Cup — or close enough to home, given the tournament spans three countries — provides both an opportunity and a pressure that is difficult to replicate in a qualifying campaign. The squad is capable of reaching the knockout rounds. Whether it is capable of going further depends on factors that no amount of roster analysis can fully predict.
For a full breakdown of the tournament’s structure and format, our World Cup 2026 guide covers everything you need. And if you want to follow the USMNT’s matches across the summer, you can find details on coverage options at our guide to watching football online in 2026.
FAQ
Why was Tanner Tessmann left out of the USMNT World Cup roster?
Pochettino has not publicly explained the decision. The most likely reason is that Tessmann’s profile — a disciplined, positionally astute defensive midfielder — did not fit the specific role Pochettino wanted in his midfield structure. Fitness and late-season form may also have been factors, though neither has been confirmed by US Soccer.
Is Alejandro Zendejas eligible to play for the United States?
Yes. Zendejas, who plays for Club América in Liga MX, chose to represent the United States over Mexico and has been eligible to do so. His selection for the 26-man World Cup roster confirms that Pochettino views him as a genuine option in wide attacking areas.
Why was Diego Luna omitted from the USMNT squad?
Luna’s omission appears to reflect Pochettino’s preference for Gio Reyna in the attacking midfield role. Reyna’s technical quality and European experience likely gave him the edge, though Luna’s consistent MLS form gave him a credible case for inclusion.
When will the USMNT World Cup roster be officially announced?
US Soccer is set to officially announce the 26-man roster at a nationally televised event in New York City on Tuesday. The Guardian obtained the roster ahead of that announcement, with multiple sources confirming its authenticity.
How does the 48-team World Cup format affect the USMNT’s chances?
The expanded format means more teams qualify from each group, which gives the USMNT a slightly more forgiving path to the knockout rounds than in previous tournaments. However, the increased number of matches also places greater demands on squad depth — which makes selection decisions like the Tessmann omission more consequential if injuries occur. You can read more about the format in our 48-team format explainer.
Where can I watch USMNT World Cup matches?
Coverage details for the 2026 World Cup, including how to follow the USMNT’s matches, are available at FootyGazette’s watch page.
