The new head coach for the United States Mens National Team, Mauricio Pochettino, has officially named his first 25-man squad for the upcoming international friendlies against Panama and Mexico. The first match against Panama will be played on October 12th at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas. The USMNT will then face Mexico at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara on October 15th.
Officially named as the new head coach of the U.S. Mens National Team on September 10th, this is the very first camp Pochettino will have with the team.
Here is the official roster:
GOALKEEPERS (4):
Ethan Horvath, Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen, Matt Turner
DEFENDERS (8):
Marlon Fossey, Kristoffer Lund, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Auston Trusty
MIDFIELDERS (7):
Brenden Aaronson, Gianluca Busio, Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah, Malik Tillman
FORWARDS (6):
Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Timothy Weah, Haji Wright
This will be the first time Pochettino will manage a national team, having previously managed some of Europe’s top clubs Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Tottenham Hotspur. The latter of which he famously took to a Champions League Final in 2019, eventually losing 2-0 to Liverpool.
Forward Christian Pulisic is coming into this camp in hot form, being the joint top goal scorer in the Italian Serie A with four goals and two assists in six games.
Gianluca Busio and Zack Steffen also return to the USMNT fold, both of whom last appeared in 2023. Busio played a pivotal role for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team, helping them reach the quarterfinal for the first time since 2000.
Panama and the United States have faced each other more often than any opponent in the region — 27 times since 1993. The U.S. holds a 17W-3L-6D record against Panama, and the U.S. has an excellent record at Q2 stadium — winning all four games played there so far.
Meanwhile, the rivalry between the U.S. and Mexico will be renewed, with the teams playing against each other on Mexican soil for the first time since 2012. It was that game where the U.S. also recorded their first-ever win in Mexico, thanks to an 80th-minute goal by Michael Orozco.
