NEW YORK — Tim Ream was filled with anxiety, close up until 1 p.m. Friday.
“Leaving the grooming crushed and walking to my car with a container afloat of bobbleheads to instrumentality location to my kids,” the 38-year-old defender recalled, “my WhatsApp started to spell a small spot crazy.”
Ream was among 26 players who received a video successful a radical chat from Sam Zapata, the U.S. nationalist squad administrative manager, informing those selected for the World Cup roster.
“Guys, if you are watching that video, it is due to the fact that you are in,” U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino told them. “I americium truthful excited to pass that you are going to beryllium connected the roster for the World Cup 2026, successful the World Cup that you are going to host.”
“It made maine halt connected my tracks,” said Ream, hoping to go the oldest U.S. subordinate to look successful soccer’s apical tournament.
Midfielders Gio Reyna and Sebastian Berhalter, sons of a erstwhile skipper and an ex-coach, were picked by on with guardant Alejandro Zendejas.
Midfielders Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann were near off.
Holding American jerseys with wavy reddish and achromatic stripes, players were introduced Tuesday astatine a made-for-TV lawsuit connected the extortion of the South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 with the Brooklyn Bridge arsenic a backdrop. They were announced successful the numerical bid of jersey numbers assigned by instrumentality manager Kyle Robertson, taking seniority into account. All were connected manus but for defender Chris Richards, successful Germany with Crystal Palace for Wednesday’s UEFA Conference League final.
“We privation this truthful bad,” said guardant Christian Pulisic, the biggest American star. “If you’re not a small spot nervous, you don’t consciousness a little, you don’t care. So, we attraction truthful much.”
Defender Sergiño Dest, midfielder Tyler Adams and guardant Haji Wright were added aft missing March friendlies due to the fact that of injuries. Zendejas was bypassed for the March roster aft a genu wounded past fall.
A fewer minutes aft the Friday video arrived, emails were sent to each 55 players connected the preliminary roster informing them of their fate. Pochettino didn’t springiness explanations to those omitted, comparing the rejection with however helium felt erstwhile Tottenham enforcement president Daniel Levy fired him arsenic manager successful 2019 and past asked to speak.
“What bash you privation to speech astir (with) me?” Pochettino said. “I don’t privation to perceive nothing.”
Luna missed the March matches due to the fact that of a genu wounded aft playing successful 17 of 18 planetary games past year.
“It’s achy due to the fact that I truly cognize what it means to beryllium retired of the roster,” said Pochettino, who failed to marque Argentina’s roster arsenic a defender successful 1994 and 1998, past was chosen successful 2002.
“During 2 weeks I didn’t sleep,” the manager said. “And contiguous inactive I cannot bask the 26 guys that are successful beforehand of maine due to the fact that I americium reasoning successful players that are out.”
Final rosters are submitted to FIFA connected June 1 and injuries could origin a alteration until 1 time earlier the U.S. opener against Paraguay connected June 12.
“Things tin happen. They request to beryllium acceptable due to the fact that possibly we tin call,” Pochettino said.
Reyna, a lad of erstwhile U.S. skipper Claudio Reyna, astir was sent location from the 2022 World Cup by then-coach Gregg Berhalter for deficiency of hustle and made conscionable 4 starts this play for Borussia Mönchengladbach — nary since Dec. 19.
“I don’t accidental that he’s going to play the game, but helium tin help,” Pochettino said. “He tin assistance due to the fact that he’s a antithetic player, antithetic talent, and I deliberation successful each the roster you request to person a subordinate similar him.”
Sebastian Berhalter, a 25-year-old lad of the erstwhile coach, made his nationalist squad debut past June and became the Americans’ champion corner-kick taker.
Players dropped who had been connected the March roster included goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, Tessmann and chap midfielder Aidan Morris. Two players were sidelined by caller injuries: midfielder Johnny Cardoso (right ankle surgery) and guardant Patrick Agyemang (torn close Achilles). Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is recovering from a torn Achilles successful October.
Who is backmost from 2022?
Half the roster returns from the past World Cup: goalkeeper Matt Turner; Dest, Ream and chap defenders Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally; Adams and chap midfielders Weston McKennie, Reyna and Cristian Roldan; and Pulisic and Wright astatine guardant with Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah.
Richards and Miles Robinson were picked aft injuries sidelined them up of the 2022 tournament.
Richards is simply a wellness interest aft tearing 2 near ankle ligaments connected May 17. Pochettino said helium won’t cognize Richards’ presumption until helium arrives successful the U.S. for grooming due to the fact that clubs “hide things.”
“Was really, truly pugnacious to person the existent accusation to marque our champion decision,” Pochettino said. “How selfish, no, is the radical successful shot oregon successful football?”
Among the last cuts 4 years ago, Ricardo Pepi made it this time.
Players from 2022 near disconnected included goalkeepers Ethan Horvath and Sean Johnson; Carter-Vickers and chap defenders Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, DeAndre Yedlin and Walker Zimmerman; midfielders Kellyn Acosta, Luca de la Torre and Yunus Musah; and forwards Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Morris and Josh Sargent.
This year’s mean property of 26 years, 332 days arsenic of the U.S. opener is up from 25-216 4 years agone and the fifth-youngest for an American World Cup roster.
Where are players from?
Just 8 players were taken from Major League Soccer, the fewest since 4 successful 2010. Five players are based successful England, 3 each successful Germany’s Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1, 2 apiece successful Italy’s Serie A and the Dutch Eredivisie, and 1 each successful Mexico, Scotland and Spain.
Pulisic ended his AC Milan play scoreless successful 19 games since Dec. 28 and has gone 8 U.S. matches without a extremity since November 2024.
Pochettino’s 3 strikers finished their nine seasons successful form, combining for 56 goals: Folarin Balogun and Pepi scored 19 each and Wright 18.
For the archetypal clip since 1990, nary American goalkeepers are from European clubs.
Ream volition beryllium 38 years, 250 days connected the time the U.S. plays its opener, older than defender Fernando Clavijo erstwhile the U.S. was knocked retired by Brazil successful 1994.
Defender Alex Freeman, a lad of erstwhile Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman, is the youngest American this twelvemonth astatine 21.
No. 3 goalkeeper Chris Brady is the archetypal subordinate connected the U.S. World Cup roster with nary planetary acquisition since backup goalkeeper Juergen Sommer successful 1994.
English (US)·