Landon Donovan, Tim Howard Name Two USMNT Players on World Cup Roster Bubble

Mauricio Pochettino can only bring 26 players to the World Cup next summer.

Tim Howard (left) and Landon Donovan (right) are USMNT legends. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images, Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

U.S. men’s national team icons Tim Howard and Landon Donovan listed Sebastian Berhalter and Brenden Aaronson as players at risk of missing out at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Sebastian Berhalter made his case for the USMNT roster after a goal and assist against Uruguay. His proficiency on set-pieces could be a valuable weapon for Mauricio Pochettino as well. Despite his performance, Howard and Donovan both acknowledged the reality that the Argentine could go in a different direction next summer.

“I think Sebastian, for me, has to be on the team ... but he’s on the bubble,” Howard said on their Unfiltered Soccer podcast. “I’m putting him on the bubble, too. I think he’s on the bubble leaning in, but he’s on the bubble,” Donovan echoed.

Matt Turner, despite losing his starting job to Matt Freese, is on the team for them and likely serves as a backup if the tournament started tomorrow.

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Aaronson Role Difficult to Predict

Leeds United’s Brenden Aaronson was also labeled on the bubble, despite Howard flip-flopping a little. “I want to say bubble, but I think he’s in. I got him in,” Howard began.

“You got him on the team?” Donovan replied.

“No I’m going to put on the bubble right now. You just talked me out of it with one random question,” Howard remarked. To the former goalkeeper’s credit, Aaronson is one of the most difficult players to predict at this point.

He played against Paraguay and Uruguay in November often getting into dangerous areas, but a lack of quality in the final third let him down. The 25-year-old has registered just one goal in 12 Premier League games this season.

At the national team level, Aaronson scored one goal this year at the Concacaf Gold Cup. Before that, his last goal came on Sept. 13, 2023 in an international friendly against Oman. Names like Diego Luna and Gio Reyna, possible contributors at the World Cup, outshined Aaronson in November.

Given the attacking talent at Pochettino’s disposal, Aaronson likely has to prove himself moving forward. Otherwise, he could find himself watching from home.

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