The USMNT’s player pool keeps growing, and Pochettino suddenly has more depth – and tougher decisions – than ever before.
TAMPA, Fla. – How about that November camp, huh?
What was billed as the U.S. men's national team’s toughest window of the year ended up becoming its most convincing. Across two home dates against World Cup-caliber South American opponents, the U.S. edged Paraguay 2-1 and then dismantled Uruguay 5-1. It was the kind of statement that every national team hopes for but rarely delivers.
For Mauricio Pochettino and his players, there’s no shortage of reasons to feel proud – or encouraged by what this group might look like when it all comes together.
But Pochettino, of course, won't quite see it that way. He'll see it as another building block, another step towards something bigger. These were statements, yes, but the big statements will be made in the summer, not the fall. All things considered, though, the path towards the summer has gotten a little bit brighter these last few months as the U.S. have stepped forward with a five-game unbeaten run that includes four wins.
By and large, the biggest lesson from this camp is just how deep the U.S. have become. So many different players have contributed to those four wins, and Pochettino pointed to a stat that he's worked with over 70 players since his arrival as USMNT boss. The pool, in truth, might have even expanded this camp, given the performances put in by the USMNT, and Pochettino might have an even harder time making the tough calls next summer on the heels of these results.
"I think we are starting to feel the World Cup, the excitement," Pochettino said. "I think it's important for our fans now to push them, to really believe in the team. We never doubted, because we saw the quality of the players. It was only about trusting them, to give them the position to find a way to perform, to behave, to feel football and what it means to be a professional. There are all areas we can improve because we are very ambitious and we want to win."
With that said, some players raised their stock more than others. Who stood out? Whose stock rose – and whose fell? GOAL takes a look after November’s camp…
Getty Images SportStock up: Gio Reyna
Over the course of two games, Reyna showed every reason why he should, and possibly will be, at the World Cup come next summer. All of the other stuff be damned; when Reyna puts on a USMNT shirt, he's usually pretty good.
He was excellent against Paraguay, scoring once and creating another in the 2–1 win. Questions about Reyna’s fitness and explosiveness remain, but his ability to influence a match is beyond doubt. He also put in more defensive work than he often gets credit for, showing he can contribute to this team in more ways than just as a late-game spark off the bench.
"I feel really good," Reyna said after the match. "I feel valued, feel important, feel ready to go. Obviously, when you feel better mentally, you can definitely play better on the field, too. So yeah, I'm definitely building up, but I feel great. I'm just happy, but I have to keep working now."
Against Uruguay, though, Reyna did come off the bench, obviously due to fitness concerns, but still found a way to make his mark. Given way too much time on the ball by a 10-man Uruguay team, Reyna made them pay, looping in a perfect ball to Tanner Tessmann for the Lyon midfielder's first midfield goal. Handed just about 30 minutes to work, Reyna made them count by providing that assist and picking up a yellow card for good measure.
There's still a long way to go until the World Cup, and Reyna's injury history is enough to give anyone a reason to pause. Right now, though, there are plenty of reasons to expect Reyna in the squad next summer, and he might just play a big role, too.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportStock down: Goalkeepers not named 'Matt Freese'
It really isn't a surprise at this point that Matt Freese started both games. Pochettino has made it somewhat clear that the NYCFC goalkeeper was his No. 1 option. Matt Turner's exclusion effectively confirmed that. As for the other goalkeepers called into this November camp? They, too, could only watch as Freese continued to hold down his starting role.
He wasn't perfect, admittedly. The goal against Uruguay came following a clearance, but that clearance was preceded by an ill-timed decision from Freese. The U.S. was unable to recover, but only because Giorgian De Arrascaeta hit an absolutely absurd bicycle kick into the back of the net. At the end of the day, it was more "incredible goal" than "bad mistake", and not something that'll be held against Freese.
With no USMNT games until March, Freese has now started each of the last 12 USMNT matches. It doesn't seem that's changing as everyone else continues to watch on as he leads from the back.
GettyStock up: Alex Freeman
In terms of describing Freeman, Pochettino said it best, so we'll let him take it away.
"I think you need to analyze the way that he plays," the USMNT boss said. "He can play like a third center back. He can go forward on the side. How difficult is it for the opponent to stop him from going inside and playing? When he has the ball, the team [can exhale]. He's so strong."
That sounds a lot like the USMNT coach describing a player with both the ability and versatility to play at a World Cup. It's been a rapid rise for the Orlando City full back, yes, but he only continues to rise and get better. The Uruguay game was, of course, his best performance yet, as Freeman scored his first two senior international goals to really make a statement to anyone watching.
Given what we've seen over the last six or so months, there's a chance that the version of Freeman we see six months from now is even better, even with the MLS offseason built in. The 21-year-old defender is flying high after breaking out in 2025 – what can we expect now in 2026?
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Getty Images SportStock down: Yunus Musah
Musah, of course, wasn't in camp. The thing was that the midfielders who were in camp were generally pretty good.
Tyler Adams is going to the World Cup. So, too, is Weston McKennie. The midfielders that were in this camp, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, and Timothy Tillman, all gave pretty good accounts of themselves. Berhalter, in particular, was the standout against Uruguay, scoring a stunner before setting up another with a perfectly hit set piece. He's carving out a role, one which could see him contribute next summer.
The midfield picture is, in a word, crowded, as Pochettino has plenty of different profiles and skillsets to sort through.
What does this mean for Musah? It means that, at the very least, the process of clawing his way back won't be easy. He hasn't been in camp since March and, if he were to return in the next gathering, it'll have been a year since he last put on a USMNT shirt. The competition during that year has only gotten more fierce, and the road back has only gotten harder.
So how does that happen? Playing for Atalanta will help, and if not, possibly getting out of there in January. Musah has to focus on himself at the moment, but while that's happening, the midfield pool only continues to grow.