U.S. Men’s National Team coach Mauricio Pochettino unveiled his 26-man roster Tuesday for a potentially generational World Cup. The team features veterans, fresh faces and more than a few surprises.
But who made the cut for the U.S., which opens it World Cup campaign on June 12 against Paraguay? How did they get there? And what are they known for? Here’s a breakdown of the attacking midfielders:
Gio Reyna: The Heir Apparent
Bedford, New York | Age: 23 | Team: Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany)
National team appearances: 36 | Known for: Son of soccer star
The roster includes players with famous fathers. Tim Weah’s father was a Ballon D’Or winner and a Liberian president. Sebastian Berhalter’s father was a USMNT player and coach. But none of those men did more to shape the modern USMNT than Reyna’s father Claudio, one of the best American soccer players of all time.
There are upsides and downsides to that kind of legacy. Gio Reyna had access to the best possible training from a young age, but he also had to grow up in the shadow of his peerless father. And while the fathers of Weah and Berhalter largely stayed out of the spotlight and allowed their sons to thrive on their own merits, Reyna’s father remains deeply invested in his son’s success. His fury at Gio’s lack of playing time at the 2022 World Cup nearly tore the USMNT apart.
Judge Gio separately from the actions of his father. Forget about the media frenzy his father stirred up in 2022 and focus on the incredible personal growth Gio has shown since then.
When he returned to the national team last fall, it took him just four minutes to score. He doesn’t need thousands of minutes to be impactful, and he doesn’t need the specter of his famous father either.
Christian Pulisic: The Reluctant Superstar
From: Hershey, Pennsylvania | Age: 27 | Team: AC Milan (Italy)
National team appearances: 84 | Known for: Being the Lebron James of soccer
Pulisic is the face of this USMNT squad, but he has a complicated relationship with the spotlight. He’s an introvert who’d rather focus on the field.
“Even though I may not be the most outgoing person, I’m one of the most competitive people you’ll ever meet,” he said, per Goal. “I love competing.” And indeed, that shows through in his work — he has never been the most engaging interviewee, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more engaging player.
Pulisic has carried the weight of being the USMNT’s next big thing since he was a teen. You don’t keep that kind of hype alive without delivering when it counts, and Pulisic absolutely has. He’s the USMNT’s fifth-most prolific goalscorer of all time.
But Pulisic hasn’t scored a national team goal since the fall of 2024. Some of that is circumstantial — he has dealt with more than his fair share of injuries — but some of it is down to a crisis of confidence that affected his play outside the USMNT sphere.
Can he turn it around in time for the World Cup? Come on. LeBron James wears his jersey. Don’t bet against him.