"It’s very important for us to add more options, more players with the possibility to challenge the familiar faces," Mauricio Pochettino said ahead of USA's Haiti quarterfinal window. The USA named a 25-man roster, and Christian Pulišić, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie are back in it. Six players are under 20, which tells you plenty about what Pochettino wants from this camp.

Pochettino's wider selection plan

The roster is not just a recall of established names. Nineteen players were involved in September and October friendlies, so Pochettino has kept most of the recent core while adding fresh competition around them. That fits his line on Balogun too. "It’s a great opportunity to keep helping him to evolve after a tough summer, after the World Cup," he said.

Balogun's return comes after he sat out Monaco's opening four Ligue 1 fixtures following a failed transfer to Everton. Pulišić also comes back after missing exhibition wins against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada while recovering from a right tibia and fibula microfracture. He has 7 Serie A appearances this season and 3 league goals, so he arrives with club rhythm as well as reputation.

The younger names in the group

Pochettino's point about competition is easier to see in the younger call-ups. Cavan Sullivan made his senior debut in September two days before turning 17, then became the youngest U.S. goalscorer a week later against Mexico. Reed Baker-Whiting and Santiago Castañeda, both 21, were also highlighted as possible debutants.

That makes this more than a routine knockout window for Haiti, even if the United States are expected to control the tie. Haiti finished fourth in Group C on 0 points, while the USA topped Group D on 6 points. The wider question is whether this group is being built for one match or for the next phase of Pochettino's cycle. On the Nations League finals venue, reporting has pointed to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, while another account placed the 2027 finals at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →