United States Men’s National Team coach Mauricio Pochettino unveiled his first post-World Cup roster on Thursday, Sept. 17.
The 28-man roster, comprised of 15 returning players and 13 first-time selections, will compete in the USMNT’s four upcoming matches against Peru (Sept. 26 in Orlando, Fla.), Chile (Sept. 29 in St. Louis, Mo.), Mexico (Oct. 3 in Glendale, Ariz.) and Canada (Oct. 6 in St. Paul, Minn.).
“It’s a new start,” Pochettino said of this roster. “It’s a fresh cycle.”
With so many debutants making Pochettino’s cut, there’s a real sense that this roster represents the future of his national team program —and these four friendly matches will be the public’s first chance to see that future in action. Here are the key takeaways from this fascinating new USMNT roster.