The USMNT boss has a roster emerging that he can trust, with several playing their way into – or out of – World Cup contention
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Even as he raved about the performance of some of his U.S. men's national team stars, Mauricio Pochettino continued to offer caveats. Yes, some players shined in this camp. No, that wouldn't guarantee them anything in the future.
"It's open," Pochettino said Tuesday night. "It's open for every single USA player that is playing here or outside of this country. I think we need to feel that possibility."
Pochettino does genuinely mean that. He is assessing all options, particularly now that the team is in a better place than it was earlier this year. The focus is no longer on which players are committed and passionate, but rather the players that fit into the system and the players that will, ultimately, make this team better on the road to and during the 2026 World Cup.
Several made their cases during this international break, which began with a 1-1 draw with Ecuador last weekend and concluded with a 2-1 win over Australia on Tuesday night. Both performances were, by and large, strong. Both were huge improvements on what we saw even last window. And both offer a glimpse into the style and substance the USMNT could play with next summer.
Pochettino is assembling his pieces. There seems to be a group emerging that he can trust, with several playing their way into – or perhaps out of – that group over the last few days.
"Not only do you need good players, but you also need good teammates, good people, people that put the interest of the national team above their own interests," Pochettino said. "That's is important to see: the behavior in situations when you're not playing well. We take notes and then, of course, we'll see when we decide the roster."
Who stood out? Whose stock rose, and whose fell? GOAL takes a look.
Getty ImagesStock up: Tanner Tessmann
For months, there’s been a defensive midfielder-sized hole next to Tyler Adams. Who would fill it? Would Johnny Cardoso step up? Couldn Weston McKennie slot in? What about Yunus Musah? At the moment, the player seemingly best equipped to play next to Adams is actually Tanner Tessmann.
Tessmann didn’t do anything flashy this camp, although he did have one ridiculous pass at the end of the Australia game. He, generally, won’t be asked to do anything flashy. What Pochettino wants from that spot is someone who can hold space while Adams roams and destroys. He also wants someone who can play the ball forward in ways that Adams can’t.
In that sense, Tessmann seems like a perfect fit. His defensive awareness has improved massively and he’s always had the athleticism and skill on the ball required for the position. Because of that, he’s in a good spot right now.
"The goal is for the U.S. to win the World Cup," he told GOAL last week. "It's not about me winning the World Cup. When you win, your country wins the World Cup. Whatever I can do to make that happen, I'm going to do it. That's my No. 1. So, even when I'm left off, it's personally disappointing, but when I see the guys go out there and play well, I love seeing that. I just want to be available, be healthy and be there controlling what I can control.
"At the end of the day, the decision is up to other people. They select the team, and I trust their decision. At the end of the day, it's about America winning the World Cup, not me winning the World Cup."
Much can change over the next few months, something Pochettino has said time and time again. At the moment, though, Tessmann seems like the best answer to a question that’s been on the minds of USMNT fans for some time.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportStock down: Cameron Carter-Vickers
Throughout camp, Pochettino did his rotating. Much like previous camps, Pochettino wanted a look at different things but he also wanted to manage the altitude that impacted everyone in that second game outside of Denver. Despite all that, we never saw Cameron Carter-Vickers – and that means that the Celtic star missed a chance.
We haven’t seen Carter-Vickers since that messy Nations League window in March, and Celtic’s European elimination in the early weeks of this season will do him no favors. This seemed a good camp for him to get into the team and prove he can play in a back three, something he generally doesn’t do on the club level.
Instead, Chris Richards and Miles Robinson started twice with Tim Ream and Mark McKenzie handing off the spot beside them. That leaves Carter-Vickers staring down the reality of the depth chart.
Getty ImagesStock up: Haji Wright
Of the USMNT's strikers, none are in better form than Haji Wright. He showcased that on Tuesday, as he ensured that that form carried over on his cross-Atlantic trip.
Handed his first USMNT start in a year, Wright made the most of his opportunity. After missing much of the Gold Cup due to injury, Wright responded with both goals in the 2-1 win over Australia. The first was the finish of a striker in-form as the Coventry City star blasted a shot into a place where no goalkeeper could stop it.
The second was a bit of finesse: a curled effort that was preceded by a dribble that saw Wright totally breeze past his defender. It was a statement game from a player that has been making a lot of statements on the club level, where he currently leads the English Championship in goals. Wright now has 11 goals and his last 11 games for club and country.
"I think I have to just continue to perform", Wright said after the game. "If I just shut off now, my chances will probably diminish. I'm happy it happened, but can I try to build off that now?"
He'll have to do that. Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi are seemingly penciled in as the top two options, with the former asserting himself as the No. 1 with his own goal this window and Pepi still bouncing back from injury. Wright seems to be the one just behind.
IMAGNStock down: Josh Sargent
Speaking of other strikers in the pool, it feels unfair to pick on a guy that wasn't in camp. But such is the reality of Sargent's current situation. Everyone knows the scenario: Sargent scores boatloads for his club, but hasn't scored for his country since 2019. It's a problem, one that could have and should have been solved by now.
It hasn't, though, and while Sargent has been unable to change that trend, others have popped in with goals. This camp it was Balogun and Wright. Over the summer, it was Patrick Agyemang. At the moment, it seems like all four of those guys are ahead of the Norwich City star.
Now the big question is how – or if – Sargent can fix it. Scoring goals at Norwich is great, and he's proven he can do that for years. The big question will remain if he can do it for the USMNT. With only two international windows remaining before the World Cup and a need to see more from the four strikers ahead of him, there may not be a chance for Sargent to change perceptions.
Because of that, it's getting tougher to see a scenario for Sargent to push his way into the World Cup picture. Strikers, however, are tricky, as one run of form either way can change a roster. That said, Sargent's runs of form tend to come in the wrong shirt as his USMNT struggles seemingly continue to haunt him.