NEW YORK (AP) — Christian Pulisic is back with the U.S. national team following his spat with coach Mauricio Pochettino.
“I think it's behind us, all that happened in summer, and I think now we need to look forward,” Pochettino said Tuesday after announcing his 22-man roster for friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 6 at Harrison, New Jersey, and Japan three days later at Columbus, Ohio.
Pulisic, the top American player, offered to play in June friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup but didn’t want to participate in the tournament, an offer that Pochettino rejected. The 26-year-old played in about 100 club matches during his first two seasons with AC Milan and wanted an extensive break in the summer before the U.S. hosts next year’s World Cup, a decision criticized by several former U.S. stars.
Pochettino said he hasn't spoken with Pulisic since the flap because there was no need.
He made some surprising picks for his September roster, saying this is “the last camp to have the possibility for us to see players, new faces," and maintained no World Cup starting assignments or roster spots are assured.
“Player(s) need to feel the threat from your teammate," he said. “They need to defend their place in every single possibility.”
“That is my message for everyone that needs to fight," Pochettino added.
He will have just three more training camps on FIFA dates, in October, November and March, before calling players into camp ahead of the World Cup.
Pochettino noted some Americans are not getting regular time with their clubs.
“For different reason(s) our players struggle to perform and to play if you see the last few weeks or the last few months," he said. “(We) hope that all our players step up and start to show our real quality.”
Defender Sergiño Dest could make his first national team appearance in 18 months after recovering from a torn an ACL on April 20 last year. Winger Tim Weah also is back after missing the Gold Cup because FIFA gave player priority to the Club World Cup.
Forwards Josh Sargent and Alejandro Zendejas returned after being left off the Gold Cup roster. Sargent scored in Norwich’s first four games.
Goalkeepers Jonathan Klinsmann and Roman Celentano are among four players who could make debuts along with defenders Noahkai Banks and Tristan Blackmon. Klinsmann, a son of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann, is joined on the roster by midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, a son of ex-coach Gregg Berhalter.
Blackmon, a 29-year-old Vancouver defender, also was being courted by Canada.
Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Zack Steffen were surprising omissions, left off along with defenders Cameron Carter-Vickers and Joe Scally, midfielders Brenden Aaronson, Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah and Tanner Tessmann, and forward Haji Wright.
Several players were bypassed because they are hurt or recovering from injuries, including left back Antonee Robinson (knee surgery in May), midfielder Malik Tillman (calf), and forwards Patrick Agyemang (hernia surgery), Folarin Balogun (ankle), Ricardo Pepi (knee surgery following injury on Jan. 29).
Midfielder Gio Reyna was not included after transferring Saturday from Borussia Dortmund, which gave him just eight league starts over the past three seasons, to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
“What we want is to see him happy,” Pochettino said. “If he’s happy, for sure, he has the talent to perform. If he performs, I think it’s going to be good for the national team.”
Using a roster missing most projected World Cup starters, the U.S. lost to Mexico 2-1 in the Gold Cup final. Pochettino kept 12 players from his Gold Cup roster.
Turner was the U.S. starting goalkeeper from 2022 through last spring but after playing sparingly with his club was supplanted by Matt Freese during the Gold Cup. Turner has started three games since his return to Major League Soccer's New England, one fewer than his total for Crystal Palace in all of 2024-25.
Steffen, a starter for much of 2022 qualifying, has played six games for Colorado since returning July 12 from right knee surgery.
Other Gold Cup players dropped included goalkeeper Chris Brady; defenders Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, John Tolkin and Walker Zimmerman; midfielder Quinn Sullivan; and forwards Paxten Aaronson and Brian White.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Roman Celentano (Cincinnati), Matt Freese (New York City), Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena).
Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus), Noahkai Banks (Augsburg), Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace).
Midfielders; Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver), Luca de la Torre (San Diego), Diego Luna (Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus).
Forwards: Damion Downs (Southampton), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) Josh Sargent (Norwich), Tim Weah (Marseille), Alex Zendejas (América).
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
