GOAL US writers discuss the strengths, weaknesses of Pochettino's preliminary squad ahead of 2025 Gold Cup
Welcome to redemption time for the USMNT. Mauricio Pochettino's side endured a miserable Nations League finals slate in march, leading to the inevitable widespread panic ahead of the Gold Cup. the Argentine manager this week released his preliminary 60 man squad for the tournament, which kicks off next month.
There are very few surprises here. Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Folarin Balogun and Tyler Adams are all in the mix. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna are all absent due to Club World Cup duties. Ricardo Pepi still needs time to recover from a knee injury, and won't be risked.
Otherwise, it's a full strength side – at least, in the original pool. Pochettino is expected to name a 26-player squad this week ahead of pre-tournament friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland.
That said, there is room for debate. The preliminary list includes seven (!!) goalkeepers, way too many attacking midfielders, and a whole load of defenders that all will believe they have a shot to make the squad at a position of relative weakness.
Who will make it, who shouldn't, and what does this vast preliminary list tell us about the direction of the USMNT? GOAL US writers debate all that in the latest edition of… The Rondo.
Getty Images SportWho is the biggest omission from preliminary the roster?
Tom Hindle: No one. Sorry, but if you don't make the list of 60, then you're not a snub. The USMNT player pool ain't big.
Jacob Schneider: Hard to pick one from a 60-man roster, but there was chatter amongst U.S. fans to see if Charlie Kelman would be featured here. Currently the highest scoring American in Europe, he's led Leyton Orient to the League one promotion finals. Now, there are absolutely levels to League One and even MLS, but, it would have been intriguing to see him just included even. The kid can score.
Ryan Tolmich: The squad largely makes sense and any criticism is little more than nitpicking, to be honest. If there was one snub, though, it's probably Cade Cowell. He hasn't been playing particularly well, but the winger position remains a weak spot at the moment, particularly with Tim Weah heading to the Club World Cup. It seems there are other options ahead of him, but Cowell still could have been included.
AdvertisementImagnWhich player not on the Nations League roster should be selected?
TH: The issue is that everyone in the known USMNT multiverse was injured in March (which is why they lost to Panama, of course). This could be a good summer for some of the MLS guys, though. Quinn Sullivan is keeping his little brother out of the Philly Union XI at the moment, and it'll be interesting to see if he gets a USMNT spot that he's been deserving of for a while.
JS: Damion Downs. Pepi is injured and Folarin Balogun's status is still genuinely uncertain despite being named to the preliminary roster. The U.S. needs a reliable goalscoring forward this summer, and Downs looks absolutely legit. He's already represented Germany at the youth levels, so securing his signature ahead of a potential Bundesliga breakout season could be critical. The other name, and it might be obvious, is Malik Tillman. Injured in March, he's the centerfold of this roster now.
RT: Excluding injured regulars such as Antonee Robinson and Balogun, let's take a closer look at Sebastian Berhalter. Yes, his last name does stand out, but so too has his game over the last few months. He's been one of the best in MLS this season for the league's best team, providing goals, assists and energy in big moments. The USMNT midfield is missing McKennie, so perhaps Berhalter can get an opportunity as a result.
Getty ImagesWithout Reyna, who gets the keys to the No. 10 spot?
TH: It's a whole lot of mid after Reyna. The issue is, the USMNT doesn't really have a traditional 10 outside of him. Malik Tillman is best used cutting in off the left (like a certain other USMNT player!) Brenden Aaronson isn't exactly a world beater, either. If we're getting groovy, stick Diego Luna there and have him do some fun switchy stuff with Christian Pulisic. Or just play a 4-3-3 with a defensive midfielder that you know at some point, you will inevitably have to fall back on.
JS: It's Tillman. What an incredible year he had with PSV despite missing three months to injury! Just mouthwatering performance for the number of minutes he played – and this came at a high, competitive level. He's struggled to shine internationally at times, but without Reyna this June, it's Tillman time. Trust him, push him, and get the most out of him. If Pochettino can unlock him, it could be a game-changer.
RT: Many will want Luna, but this should be Tillman's big chance. He's dominated the Eredivisie, hitting double-digit goals this season en route to a league title. He has yet to fully seize a USMNT chance, so this is the best opportunity to give him an extended run and see what he can do with some time and stability. Luna is right there, yes, but he can play on the wing given the lack of options there.
Getty ImagesOf the seven goalkeepers named, which three will be at the Gold Cup?
TH: Bleh. Matt Turner is the obvious one, but he's not a dude who really moves things along. Zack Steffen is the one with experience, too. Might be time to give Patrick Schulte a bit of a look after his solid MLS showings. But how the hell does the U.S. not have a decent goalkeeper? And no, for the 50th time – Diego Kochen is not ready and he warms the bench for Barca, please stop putting pressure on him.
JS: Turner is still the No. 1, regardless of what anyone says. Then it gets interesting. Steffen has been rather poor to start the 2025 MLS season; he's really not played at the level that you'd expect from him. Would like to see the No. 2 position handed to Schulte of the Columbus Crew, and with the third, Kochen. He is the best U.S. goalkeeping prospect since Tim Howard at Manchester United in 2004. Do whatever it takes to get him in camp (and hopefully capped) amid interest from Spain.
RT: Go with what you know. Turner, Schulte and Steffen are the guys legitimately vying for a starting spot, so those should be the three in camp. Pochettino and his staff won't get another opportunity to work with these players for an extended time like this. While experimentation is nice in some places, it could hurt in others. Let those three duke it out for a month and experiment with the younger, more experienced goalkeepers in the fall, if needed.