05/26/26 03:24:00
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05/26 15:23 CDT Reyna, Berhalter, Zendejas on US World Cup roster, while Luna
and Tessmann left off by Pochettino
Reyna, Berhalter, Zendejas on US World Cup roster, while Luna and Tessmann left
off by Pochettino
By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Midfielders Gio Reyna and Sebastian Berhalter were included
on U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino's 26-man World Cup roster Tuesday along with
winger Alejandro Zendejas, while midfielders Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann
were left off.
Defender Sergio Dest, midfielder Tyler Adams and forward Haji Wright were
added after missing March friendlies because of injuries. Zendejas was bypassed
for the March roster after a knee injury last fall.
Players were announced in order of uniform number during a made-for-TV event on
the roof of the South Street Seaport's Pier 17, with the Brooklyn Bridge as a
backdrop.
"It was so painful for me to make the decision," Pochettino said. "We cannot
talk about the players that did not make the roster."
Reyna, a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, nearly was sent home from
the 2022 World Cup by then-coach Gregg Berhalter for lack of hustle and made
just four starts this season for Borussia Mnchengladbach --- none since Dec.
19. He is viewed by Pochettino as a "special player."
Sebastian Berhalter, a 25-year-old son of the former coach, made his national
team debut last June and became the Americans' best corner-kick taker.
Players dropped who had been on the March roster included goalkeeper Patrick
Schulte along with Tessmann and fellow midfielder Aidan Morris. Two players
were sidelined by recent injuries: midfielder Johnny Cardoso (right ankle
surgery) and forward Patrick Agyemang (torn right Achilles). Defender Cameron
Carter-Vickers is recovering from a torn Achilles in October.
Luna missed the March matches because of a knee injury after playing in 17 of
18 international games last year.
Who is back from 2022?
Half the roster returns from the last World Cup: goalkeeper Matt Turner; Dest
and fellow defenders Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally; Adams and
fellow midfielders Weston McKennie, Reyna and Cristian Roldan; and forwards
Brenden Aaronson, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah and Wright.
Defenders Chris Richards and Miles Robinson were picked after injuries caused
them to miss the 2022 tournament, where the U.S. was eliminated by the
Netherlands in the round of 16. Richards, who missed the event because Crystal
Palace in Wednesday's Europa Conference League final. is a health concern after
tearing two left ankle ligaments on May 17.
Pochettino said he won't know Richards' status until he arrives in the U.S. for
training.
Among the final cuts four years ago, Ricardo Pepi made it this time.
Players from 2022 left off included goalkeepers Ethan Horvath and Sean Johnson;
Carter-Vickers and fellow defenders Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, DeAndre Yedlin and
Walker Zimmerman; midfielders Kellyn Acosta, Luca de la Torre and Yunus Musah;
and forwards Jess Ferreira, Jordan Morris and Josh Sargent.
This year's average age of 26 years, 332 days as of the U.S. opener is up from
25-216 four years ago and the fifth-youngest for an American World Cup roster,
also older than 1930, 1990 and 1994.
Where are players from?
Just eight players were taken from Major League Soccer, the fewest since four
in 2010, and no MLS attacking players were chosen.
Five players are based in England, three each in Germany's Bundesliga and
France's Ligue 1, two apiece in Italy's Serie A and the Dutch Eredivisie, and
one each in Mexico, Scotland and Spain.
Pulisic, the top American player, ended his AC Milan season scoreless in 19
games since Dec. 28 and has gone eight U.S. matches without a goal since
November 2024.
Pochettino's three strikers finished their club seasons in form, combining for
56 goals: Folarin Balogun and Pepi scored 19 each and Wright 18.
For the first time since 1990, no American goalkeepers are from European clubs.
The U.S. opens against Paraguay on June 12 at Inglewood, California, plays
Australia one week later at Seattle and closes Group D with a match against
Turkey on June 26 in Inglewood. The top two teams in each of 12 groups advance
to the new round of 32 in the expanded 48-nation tournament along with the
eight third-place nations.
Ream could become the oldest American to appear in a World Cup at 38 years, 250
days when the U.S. plays its opener, older than defender Fernando Clavijo when
the U.S. was knocked out by Brazil in 1994's round of 16.
Defender Alex Freeman, a son of former Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman, is
the youngest player at 21.
No. 3 goalkeeper Chris Brady is the first player on the U.S. World Cup roster
with no international experience since backup goalkeeper Juergen Sommer in 1994.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner
(New England)
Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus), Sergio Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman
(Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Chris Richards
(Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Joe
Scally (Borussia Mnchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver), Weston
McKennie (Juventus), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mnchengladbach), Cristian Roldan
(Seattle), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV
Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Marseille), Haji Wright
(Coventry), Alejandro Zendejas (Amrica)
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
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