Who was left out of Mauricio Pochettino's September-October USMNT squad?

Mauricio Pochettino made some bold statements with his first roster selection after the 2026 World Cup. He previously said it would be a mix of new talent and experienced players, and the 28-man roster revealed Thursday reflected that. To make room for these new players, Pochettino was forced to omit a group of regulars from this squad. But that does not mean their time with the U.S. Men's National Team is over. Here are five notable players who will not be attending the September-October camp.

Christian Pulisic, Forward

Captain America will be missing camp as he continues to recover from the leg injury he suffered during the World Cup. Pulisic is no doubt the biggest name left off the list, but one that should not be a surprise. Pochettino recently hinted that Pulisic might not be included, referring to the player choosing to sit out of the 2025 Gold Cup, and today that was realized.

Pulisic is still the USMNT's biggest star and most well-known player, but another poor performance in a major tournament has had fans questioning if he is the right face for the federation. His start to the season at AC Milan has done little to quell those concerns. Pulisic has played in just two matches, both off the bench, but did contribute an assist in his first appearance. If he finds his form again, he will return right back to the starting lineup.

Folarin Balogun, Forward

Like Pulisic, the USMNT's top goal scorer at the World Cup will be spending the camp at home as he continues his injury recovery. Balogun has had a roller coaster of a summer, scoring in his World Cup debut before receiving a controversial red card that was later rescinded later in the tournament. He received interest from Everton in the Premier League and was set to transfer there until the club failed his medical and the deal fell through.

Balogun failed to capitalize on a sensational World Cup, but his being left out of this squad is likely more of a precaution than his status with the team being in jeopardy. Balogun is still the clear best striker for the team, and once healthy should reclaim that role.

Diego Luna, Midfielder

Luna was a surprising absence from the initial World Cup roster reveal after he was highlighted in many pre-tournament promotional campaigns. In this selection, it was expected that Luna would not be called up. The midfielder announced that he has a torn meniscus, a knee injury that will sideline him for the rest of the MLS season and beyond.

Pochettino raved about Luna following his breakthrough in the Gold Cup last year. But the attacking midfield room only continues to get more crowded. Malik Tillman and Gio Reyna both showed their goal-scoring potential at the World Cup, with both enjoying promising starts to their seasons. Newcomer Cavan Sullivan has set MLS on fire with his recent run, and after this injury, Luna is the odd man out. He is still a quality player with undeniable spark and passion, but this could be a major setback for his national team career.

Johnny Cardoso, Midfielder

Cardoso arguably plays at the highest-profile club currently out of any American, Atlético Madrid, but will not be featured in his second consecutive USMNT squad. Cardoso was expected to have an impact during the World Cup. However, an ankle injury before the tournament sidelined him and forced Pochettino to consider other options. Cardoso is still getting his legs beneath him and has been limited so far for Atlético this season. On the bright side, he appears to be close, playing a strong 85 minutes on Wednesday and adding an assist.

There will undoubtedly b e a role in this midfield for a player of Cardoso's caliber despite the competition. He would be an excellent running mate alongside Tyler Adams and certainly should be in play for future USMNT selections.

Matt Turner, Goalkeeper

This one came as a surprise. Turner certainly isn't the biggest name on the squad, but he was the first-choice keeper in the 2022 World Cup and the solidified No. 2 behind Matt Freese. Turner is having a solid season with the New England Revolution after returning to MLS, tallying five clean sheets, the same as Freese.

Pochettino instead opted for Chris Brady, Diego Kochen, and Brian Schwake to solve the goalkeeping conundrum, choosing potential over experience. Kochen has played in Barcelona's youth academy, and Schwake currently sits second in MLS with 11 clean sheets, almost double Freese and Turner.

This decision might spell the end of Matt Turner's run with the USMNT. He was not able to capitalize on his opportunity as the No. 1. While no one else has either, Pochettino seems to be looking at other options for the next World Cup cycle.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow