United States men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has named a squad that blends returning stars Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun with a host of promising young talents for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals against Haiti.
Both Pulisic and Balogun have been absent from the national team since sustaining injuries at this summer's World Cup, which also caused them to miss the start of their club seasons with AC Milan and Monaco, respectively.
Pulisic suffered a fractured leg during the United States' round-of-16 loss to Belgium at the World Cup. Balogun, meanwhile, dealt with a knee injury and was also involved in a complex transfer saga. The striker was at the center of a controversy when his ban for a red card during the World Cup was suspended following an intervention by President Donald Trump.
Pochettino expressed his delight at having Balogun back in the fold. "I think Balo, it's a great opportunity to keep helping him to evolve after a tough summer, after the World Cup," he said. "Happy to see again Balo because I think after the World Cup, we have the possibility to see, and it is a great opportunity for him to keep improving in his confidence."
The squad for the two-legged tie, set for November 14 and 17, also features several exciting youngsters. Among them are 19-year-old Justin Ellis and 18-year-old Julian Hall, both of whom made their debuts and scored during the United States' international windows in September and October. In those matches, Pochettino's youthful roster won all four games against Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada.
"I think it's a great opportunity for different players now, and for a different roster than was in the last camp, to have the possibility to mix younger with experienced players," Pochettino remarked. "The combination in between Balogun, Ellis and Hall I think is perfect," he added.
Seventeen-year-olds Cavan Sullivan and Mathis Albert are also among the attacking options in Pochettino's squad. Additionally, 21-year-old Santiago Castaneda, a US-Colombian midfielder who plays for German club SC Paderborn, has earned his first senior international call-up.
The 'away' leg of the quarter-finals will take place in Miami, Florida on November 14, followed by the home leg three days later in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The US won the first three CONCACAF Nations League tournaments, between 2021 and 2024, but suffered an embarrassing semi-final defeat to Panama in last year's edition.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (New York City), Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub/DEN), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)
Defenders: Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville SC), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Sergino Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Alex Freeman (Villarreal/ESP), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union), Bryan Reynolds (Stade Rennais/FRA), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO)
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth/ENG), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough/ENG), Santiago Castañeda (SC Paderborn/GER), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York), Gio Reyna (RC Strasbourg Alsace/FRA), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER)
Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA), Justin Ellis (Orlando City SC), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union)
