The challenge facing Mauricio Pochettino, at least initially, became clear with his inaugural roster as the head coach of the U.S. men’s national team.

From the 25 players Pochettino announced on Wednesday for upcoming matches against Panama and Mexico, 19 were also involved in the disappointing Copa America performance. Only six players in the squad have less than 10 caps with the USMNT, two of whom are goalkeepers.

While there are potentially other players who could help the USMNT in the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Pochettino has to act quickly given that he took over just three weeks ago and the World Cup is less than two years away.

Rather than searching the globe for fresh talent, Pochettino dedicated his time to observing current players, using technology to attend matches virtually and gathering insights through Zoom and phone conversations. He relied significantly on the information provided by the current national team staff.

“That’s why you’ll notice a roster quite similar to the last camp,” Pochettino explained.

This continuity might disappoint supporters hoping for a significant roster change. However, Pochettino firmly believes that the USMNT does not lack talent.

Currently, the USMNT is considered to be in a golden age, with many key players thriving in their European clubs. For instance, Christian Pulisic has made a tremendous impact at AC Milan, netting five goals and giving two assists in their first eight matches. Weston McKennie has turned his fortunes around at Juventus, becoming indispensable and scoring in their Champions League debut. Antonee Robinson has been a solid presence in Fulham’s defense, contributing to their strong record of conceding only five goals in six games — one of the best in the Premier League.

Additionally, Ricardo Pepi recently shined with two goals in a rare start for PSV in the Dutch league. In the English Championship, Josh Sargent has three goals and three assists for Norwich City, while Brenden Aaronson has contributed two goals and an assist for Leeds.

Despite these successes, the USMNT has struggled at the World Cup, failing to advance past the round of 16 for over two decades, and a series of poor results suggest that something is amiss. Dissecting these issues is crucial, perhaps even more so than finding new players.

“It’s vital for us to establish principles and be prepared for when the players join us this week,” Pochettino emphasized.

“We want to see their commitment, personality, character, and adaptability to a new era and approach to the games. This will be essential,” he added. “The ability to adapt, focusing on the team first, and giving their all to improve will be key.”

Players called for these upcoming matches — with the USMNT facing Panama in Austin, Texas, on October 12 and then traveling to face Mexico on October 15 — certainly cannot relax. This is merely Pochettino’s initial step, and his selection and strategy might change significantly by the summer of 2026.

Specifically looking at the goalkeeping position, Pochettino retained Matt Turner, who has been the USMNT’s primary goalkeeper since the 2022 World Cup, alongside veteran Ethan Horvath. He also included Patrick Schulte, noted for his 10 clean sheets with Columbus Crew and recognized as one of the promising young goalkeepers in Major League Soccer.

In a surprising move, Pochettino also brought back Zack Steffen, the USMNT’s previous number one goalkeeper, who lost that title and was omitted from the 2022 World Cup squad due to injuries and limited playing time.

Steffen last played for the national team during a World Cup qualifier in March 2022, but he is now a starter in MLS, showcasing Pochettino’s willingness to consider players’ current playing time in his selections.

“He deserves the chance to join us,” Pochettino stated regarding Steffen. “This is a great opportunity to evaluate him.”

This applies to all players on the roster. With the World Cup approaching, Pochettino cannot afford to make changes merely for the sake of change. He is beginning with the players he has and will build from there.

The USMNT roster

GOALKEEPERS: Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)

DEFENDERS: Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)

MIDFIELDERS: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven)

FORWARDS: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Timothy Weah (Juventus), Haji Wright (Coventry City)