Cavan Sullivan Headlines Young USMNT Roster as Pochettino Declares a Fresh Start

The U.S. Men’s National Team is entering a new chapter following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and head coach Mauricio Pochettino is making it clear that the next four years will be about competition, development and opportunity.

Pochettino announced a 28-player roster Thursday for the United States’ September and October international matches against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada. The roster marks the beginning of a new cycle leading toward the 2030 FIFA World Cup and includes a significant mix of players with international experience and young talent looking to establish themselves with the senior national team. Thirteen players from the 2026 World Cup squad return, while 13 players on the current roster are uncapped at the senior level. The average age of the group is 22 years and nine months, more than four years younger than the roster selected for the 2026 World Cup.
Pochettino repeatedly described the roster as a “fresh start” during Thursday’s press conference, emphasizing that players cannot rely solely on what they accomplished during the previous cycle. “Now it’s a fresh start. It’s a new start,” Pochettino said. “Of course, all have the door open, but now it’s not what I did in the past.” The coach said the staff evaluated the entire player pool before selecting the group it believed was best suited for this particular camp, while making it clear that players outside the roster will continue to have opportunities if their performances warrant consideration.

The roster includes four goalkeepers: Chris Brady of Chicago Fire, Matt Freese of New York City FC, Diego Kochen of Lyngby Boldklub in Denmark and Brian Schwake of Nashville SC. The 10 defenders are George Campbell of West Bromwich Albion, Sergiño Dest of PSV Eindhoven, Alex Freeman of Villarreal, Peyton Miller of New England Revolution, Neil Pierre of Philadelphia Union, Chris Richards of Crystal Palace, Antonee Robinson of Fulham, Miles Robinson of FC Cincinnati, Auston Trusty of Celtic and Frankie Westfield of Philadelphia Union.

The nine midfielders are Tyler Adams of AFC Bournemouth, Mathis Albert of Borussia Dortmund, Sebastian Berhalter of Middlesbrough, Zavier Gozo of Crystal Palace, Adri Mehmeti of Red Bull New York, Yunus Musah of AC Milan, Brooklyn Raines of New England Revolution, Gio Reyna of RC Strasbourg Alsace and Malik Tillman of Bayer Leverkusen. The five forwards are Cole Campbell of SV Elversberg, Justin Ellis of Orlando City SC, Julian Hall of Red Bull New York, Ricardo Pepi of PSV Eindhoven and 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan of Philadelphia Union.

Sullivan is one of the most notable additions to the roster after earning his first senior national-team call-up at just 16 years old. The Philadelphia Union midfielder has received significant attention for his performances at the club level, and Pochettino said he has earned the opportunity to train and compete with the senior national team. At the same time, the coach stressed that Sullivan’s age means his continued development must remain at the center of the process.

“He deserved all the praise that he’s getting,” Pochettino said, pointing to Sullivan’s ability to score goals and provide assists at such a young age. He also emphasized that Sullivan is still a teenager who needs to improve, evolve and mature while adapting to the demands of international competition. Pochettino said the coaching staff’s responsibility is to provide a strong platform around the young player while continuing to challenge him and push him outside of his comfort zone. “It’s all about to grow,” Pochettino said.

Sullivan is part of a larger group of young players receiving an opportunity as Pochettino begins to expand the player pool. Five of the uncapped players were part of the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup team, while three participated in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The group includes Mathis Albert, Cole Campbell, Zavier Gozo, Peyton Miller, Brooklyn Raines, Frankie Westfield, Julian Hall and Sullivan, among others.

While youth is a defining characteristic of the roster, Pochettino has retained a strong veteran presence. Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson lead the team with 58 caps each, followed by Yunus Musah with 47, Sergiño Dest with 44, Gio Reyna with 43, Ricardo Pepi with 42, Miles Robinson with 41 and Malik Tillman with 35. Pochettino said those experienced players will have an important role in setting the tone for the younger players, but he does not want their leadership to feel forced.

“They need to be natural,” Pochettino said. He explained that younger players will naturally watch how veteran players conduct themselves, both on and off the field, making their behavior an important part of establishing the culture the coaching staff wants to build. Pochettino said experienced players must continue to focus on their own performance while also understanding that their actions can serve as examples for younger teammates.

The roster also includes two players returning to the national-team setup after being absent during the 2026 World Cup cycle: defender George Campbell and midfielder Yunus Musah. Campbell returns after making his USMNT debut in January 2025 against Venezuela, while Musah returns with 47 international appearances after last playing for the United States in March 2025 against Canada.

Pochettino also addressed the decision not to call in Christian Pulisic for this camp. Rather than focus on individual omissions, the coach said the staff’s responsibility was to evaluate the available player pool and select the group it believed was right for the four matches. He reiterated that the national-team door remains open to players throughout the United States and around the world, provided they demonstrate the level the coaching staff is looking for.

That philosophy is particularly evident in the number of MLS players included in the roster. Twelve of the 28 players currently represent MLS clubs, and nine of those players have an opportunity to earn their first senior international cap. Philadelphia Union leads the MLS contingent with three players, while New England Revolution and Red Bull New York each have two.

The September and October window will give Pochettino and his staff four matches to evaluate the group and begin establishing the next phase of the program. The USMNT opens against Peru on September 26 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. The match is the team’s Fan Appreciation Match.

The United States will then face Chile on September 29 at Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri. The Impact Match, presented by New York Life, is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The USMNT will return to action on October 3 for its latest meeting with Mexico at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with kickoff scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.

The four-match window concludes October 6 against Canada at Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota. That match, presented by American Airlines, is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. All four matches will also be carried live on radio, with Westwood One Sports providing English-language commentary and Fútbol de Primera providing the Spanish-language call.

The four-match window comes with an additional benefit for Pochettino: more time to work with and evaluate players. Unlike the previous cycle, when the primary objective was narrowing the player pool and preparing for the 2026 World Cup, the focus now is on expanding opportunities and developing players who could become important pieces of the program over the next four years.

Pochettino said the coaching staff will also work closely with the federation’s Under-23 and youth structures as part of the broader development process. The 2028 Olympic Games are one of the program’s intermediate objectives, giving younger players an opportunity to gain senior-team experience that could benefit them when the Olympic competition arrives.

The new cycle, however, will not be based on reputation or what a player accomplished years ago. Pochettino said players who perform at the level the coaching staff expects will have the opportunity to remain in the national-team picture, regardless of their age or previous experience.

“If I perform and I give to the team what the team expects from me and the coaches expect from me, I’m going to have a high percentage to come back,” Pochettino said.

For the USMNT, the next four years begin with a roster that reflects a clear shift toward opportunity and development while maintaining the experience necessary to guide a young group. The first opportunity to see what that combination can produce comes September 26 against Peru in Orlando.