Pulisic Out, 13 Newcomers Join USMNT Roster

U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has left Christian Pulisic off his first roster since the 2026 World Cup, while assembling a 28-player squad for friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada. Pulisic is recovering from a leg injury and has yet to reestablish a starting role at AC Milan, while reports also cite a strained relationship with Pochettino dating to his decision to skip the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup; the coach has not publicly confirmed the reason for the omission. The roster emphasizes youth, including 16-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who could become the youngest U.S. men’s national-team player since Freddy Adu debuted in 2006. Pochettino included 13 newcomers and recalled Yunus Musah, with only a limited number of players from the World Cup roster returning as the team begins building toward the 2030 tournament.