The road to the 2030 FIFA World Cup begins later this month.
With that, U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino named his initial 28-man roster for the USMNT's September and October friendlies.
Half of the roster includes players with MLS NEXT Pro experience. Most of that group includes pathway youngsters earning their first national team call-ups, including Adri Mehmeti and Julian Hall, who starred in Red Bull New York II's MLS NEXT Pro Cup campaign last season, along with wonderkids Cavan Sullivan, Neil Pierre, and Frankie Westfield, who are amid a breakout for the Philadelphia Union in MLS.
Also part of that 14, recent MLS headlining exports Zavier Gozo and Alex Freeman, whose stories began in MLS NEXT Pro in recent seasons.
First looks
Pochettino and the new-look USMNT are set to host four friendlies in the upcoming camp, taking on South American sides Peru and Chile before squaring off with regional rivals Mexico and Canada.
Action kicks off at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando when Peru visits on September 26 (4:30 PM ET), then to St. Louis CITY's home Energizer Park for the Chile match on September 29 (8 PM ET).
The ever-exciting Mexico matchup takes place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on October 3 (10 PM ET) before wrapping up with Canada at Minnesota United FC's Allianz Field on October 6 (8 PM ET).
The USMNT return to competitive action one month later with Concacaf Nations League action, and on Tuesday announced that FC Cincinnati's TQL Stadium will host their home leg of the quarterfinal on November 17th.
GOALKEEPERS (4)
- Chris Brady - Chicago Fire FC
- Matt Freese - New York City FC
- Diego Kochen - Lyngby Boldklub
- Brian Schwake - Nashville SC
DEFENDERS (10)
- George Campbell - West Bromwich Albion
- Sergiño Dest - PSV Eindhoven
- Alex Freeman - Villarreal
- Peyton Miller - New England Revolution
- Neil Pierre - Philadelphia Union
- Chris Richards - Crystal Palace
- Antonee Robinson - Fulham
- Miles Robinson - FC Cincinnati
- Auston Trusty - Celtic FC
- Frankie Westfield - Philadelphia Union
MIDFIELDERS (9)
- Tyler Adams - AFC Bournemouth
- Mathis Albert - Borussia Dortmund
- Sebastian Berhalter - Middlesbrough
- Zavier Gozo - Crystal Palace
- Adri Mehmeti - Red Bull New York
- Yunus Musah - AC Milan
- Brooklyn Raines - New England Revolution
- Gio Reyna - RC Strasbourg
- Malik Tillman - Bayer Leverkusen
FORWARDS (5)
- Cole Campbell - SV Elversberg
- Justin Ellis - Orlando City
- Julian Hall - Red Bull New York
- Ricardo Pepi - PSV Eindhoven
- Cavan Sullivan - Philadelphia Union
Players who appeared in MLS NEXT Pro are bolded above.
