‘I Am Suffering’—Pochettino Mulls Over World Cup Decisions Ahead of USMNT Friendly

The USMNT is 76 days away from World Cup kickoff.

Mauricio Pochettino compared the importance of the USMNT midfield to that of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

Mauricio Pochettino isn’t looking forward to naming the U.S. men’s national team World Cup roster, claiming he is “suffering” as he tries to trim his list down to 26 players to compete on home soil this summer. 

Of the areas in question, the midfield poses the most unknowns, with just three central midfielders likely to start if the team sticks with the three- and five-man backlines that it switched to last fall. 

For March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, the USMNT won’t have talismanic Bournemouth star Tyler Adams either, raising more questions about positions and the race to fill them for the World Cup.

Ahead of facing the European titans in Atlanta, Pochettino compared the importance of strong midfielders in any team to that of generational-defining Real Madrid and FC Barcelona squads of the 2010s, sides that included the likes of Xavi, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Luka Modrić and Casemiro at their heights, among others. 

Mauricio Pochettino runs a training session in Atlanta ahead of the March friendlies. | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

“We cannot compare with these guys ... but what they were doing, every time the team works, it’s because the midfielders are good,” the Argentine manager said ahead of the USMNT’s test against Belgium on Saturday, with the nation riding a five-match unbeaten run, including wins against Australia, Japan, Paraguay and Uruguay and a draw with Ecuador.

“I think any combination [of USMNT midfield in those games] were all different,” he added. “The competition is high, and it's going to be tough to pick the right player for the final roster. It's a big show, and I am suffering for two months in advance.”

While Adams isn’t available, and injury issues to center backs, Chris Richards and Miles Robinson, could force Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann or Borussia Mönchengladbach right back Joe Scally to fill those voids, the players who make up the midfield trident will have an audition like no other. 

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Club Form Not Considered 

Gio Reyna has played just 26 minutes since 2026 began. | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

In this era of the USMNT, club form doesn’t matter much. It’s why Gio Reyna said he was “fortunate” to be called up, despite playing just 26 minutes of Bundesliga soccer in 2026 with Mönchengladbach. 

Pochettino puts so much more emphasis on these friendlies over anything players are showing with their clubs, whether positive or negative—evidently, a challenge for Atlético Madrid’s Johnny Cardoso, who has struggled with the USMNT despite elite form with the Spanish giants. 

“The performance here is what counts more than performing in your club, because it is different circumstances, and I guess in the case of Gio Reyna, he’s not playing for the club, but maybe he’s a good player for us,” the manager said. 

“From the beginning, we say it’s plenty of different things that we assess to make the final roster. Maybe you will see some players playing, and maybe they’re not going to be in the World Cup, or maybe some players that are not playing will make the roster.”

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Weston McKennie’s Versatility

Weston McKennie is adaptable in his role with Juventus and the USMNT. | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Of the players near locks to make the team and start on Saturday, Weston McKennie may be the clearest, even with Pochettino coy about his lineup decisions against Belgium and having left the 27-year-old off the November squad.

Still, it’s not clear where the Juventus man may play, having been spread across the pitch throughout games with the Old Lady this season, sometimes, as Pochettino calls it, “starting like a striker, then going to be like a midfielder, and finishing like a fullback.” 

McKennie’s Swiss Army Knife capabilities could be even more important at the World Cup, where injuries can hit mid-tournament and force teams into uncomfortable positions with their already-tight rosters. Yet, his best spot within the team remains a vital question, given that full health is always the first approach in selection and planning. 

Why not us? pic.twitter.com/BNGnWKfRer

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) March 25, 2026

“He has a capacity to understand the game, and he adapts his characteristics to the demands of the game and to help the team,” Pochettino said of the Serie A star. “When the team needs some different options in a different position, he can provide that ... [he’s] an important player and that is not new for us.”

Whether as a solidified star like McKennie or for those playing for a chance to make the team, the performance on Saturday is critical, even if Pochettino doesn’t want his team to feel the pressure 76 days ahead of the World Cup. 

“When you are free, you perform, and when you feel happy, you perform,” Pochettino added. “You don’t need to feel the pressure, because the pressure is a thing that, if you don't deal with it perfectly, can be heavy.”

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