It’s hard to remember a time when there was this excitement surrounding the USMNT ahead of an international window that had no competitive matches. But a roster that’s full of young, promising players has brought tons of excitement for the future. Those players are all getting an opportunity to showcase what they can do at the international level in front of Mauricio Pochettino.
Of course, this camp is about more than just teenagers who are rising stars. It’s a chance for everyone involved to state their case to become core members of the USMNT during the 2030 World Cup cycle. Obviously, not everyone is on equal footing in that regard, making this window more important to some than others. With that in mind, here are five players under tons of pressure, potentially facing make-or-break moments with the USMNT during the upcoming matches.
Yunus Musah
Musah was infamously left off the 2026 World Cup roster by Pochettino after playing in the 2022 World Cup. Of course, his decision to sit out the 2025 Gold Cup didn’t help. Of course, Pochettino has made it clear that everyone has a fresh start with the new cycle, which is great news for the 23-year-old Musah. In theory, he has the tools to emerge from exile and become a core player for the USMNT over the next four years. However, he definitely has a little extra to prove in the upcoming games, more so than the young players in a national team camp for the first time. Given the history between him and Pochettino, there are no guarantees about how many more chances he’ll get if Musah doesn’t show something in this window.
George Campbell
It was Pochettino who gave Campbell his first and only cap in January 2025. Yet, he didn’t appear to be close to making the World Cup roster. After a full season with West Brom, emerging as the club’s captain this season, Campbell is ready to get a second chance to impress Pochettino with the national team. The caveat is that Campbell is 25, so it’s not about upside of potential the way it is with a player like Neil Pierre. Campbell has to show that he’s ready to contribute right now and can handle being one of the USMNT’s top center backs. If he doesn’t seize his opportunity in the upcoming games, he could easily be passed over for younger center backs like Pierre in future camps.
Matt Freese
Freese enters the upcoming friendlies as the incumbent in a complicated goalie situation. If pressed, Pochettino would probably consider Freese his top choice if the U.S. had to play a competitive match. But that doesn’t mean his job is safe. Freese is the de facto No. 1 keeper more than anything else. He has to get over the mental hurdle of his mistake against Belgium and try to win over the USMNT fanbase all over again. In other words, Freese can’t afford to make any big mistakes during the upcoming friendlies. Otherwise, his hold on the starting job will become even more tenuous than it is right now.
Miles Robinson
Robinson was one of the more surprising inclusions on the USMNT roster for this window. Given the undeniable youth movement, the 29-year-old Robinson doesn’t seem to fit. He’s already 29 and will be 33 at the next World Cup, which is typically past the prime for international players. Clearly, Pochettino likes what he brings to the table, providing viable depth and a little versatility at center back. But similar to Campbell, if he doesn’t reach a certain level of performance during this window, younger center backs will soon be pushing him out of the picture.
Damion Downs
While not originally on the roster, the injury to Ricardo Pepi this past Sunday got Downs a call-up to the national team. Downs made six appearances for the USMNT in 2025, mostly in the Gold Cup, with his biggest contribution being a made penalty in the quarterfinal shootout against Costa Rica. That’s because he struggled for playing time at Hamburger SV on loan last season, prompting a loan to St. Louis City in MLS this season. However, his playing time in St. Louis has been even more limited, making his inclusion on the roster, even as an injury replacement, rather surprising. Needless to say, Downs may not get another chance with the national team anytime soon if he can’t get his club situation sorted out. That means he needs to take advantage of this unexpected opportunity, especially since he’ll be competing directly with Justin Ellis and Julian Hall, two younger strikers.
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