Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun return to USMNT roster for Nations League

Mauricio Pochettino has selected his 26-man roster for the United States’ Concacaf Nations League quarter-final matches against Haiti, including recalls for Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun. After 13 players earned their first caps in the previous window, only two selections could be in line for international debuts this month.

The two-leg series against Haiti marks the first competitive action for the US since they exited the World Cup with a calamitous showing against Belgium in the last 16. Pochettino’s side are heavily favored to win the Nations League outright, arriving in better form and health than chief rivals Mexico and Canada. Haiti will host their “home” leg in Miami on 14 November due to years-long security issues stemming from widespread gang violence in Port-au-Prince. The return leg will be played in Cincinnati on 17 November.

“It’s very important for us to add options, more players with the possibility to challenge the familiar faces,” Pochettino said in a news conference on Wednesday. “They deserve the possibility to be with us, for us to feel them and for them to see how they can feel on the national team. It’s a very good camp window now for these guys, to give the opportunity. It’s very open.”

Related: Folarin Balogun takes a first, tiny step toward moving on from a calamitous summer

Goalkeepers Matt Freese (New York City FC; 20/0), Diego Kochen (Lyngby Boldklub; 2/0), Brian Schwake (Nashville SC; 2/0)

None of Pochettino’s selections in goal come as any real surprise. Freese has long been in the mix, Kochen was given the nod against Mexico last window and acquitted himself quite well, and many would consider Schwake the best goalkeeper in Major League Soccer.

Despite the predictability, there is intrigue. The US continues to lack a lock-down keeper, leaving the position wide open at the moment, as it has seemingly been for years. Others continue to fight for minutes as well – New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner among them. Turner, who is not on this roster and has seemingly drifted out of the US keeper pool, is in the midst of a strong run of form in MLS.

Defenders Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville SC; 0/0), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion; 3/0), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; 46/3), Alex Freeman (Villarreal; 26/3), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union; 3/0), Bryan Reynolds (Stade Rennais; 7/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; 43/4), Antonee Robinson (Fulham; 62/5), Auston Trusty (Celtic; 14/1)

This group is a blend of experience and fresh options as Pochettino and his staff build a new defensive core. Reed Baker-Whiting is in line for his US debut after a steady season starting at left-back for MLS’s best team. A feature on the Guardian’s Next Generation list in 2022, the 21-year-old made a smooth transition to Nashville after a winter transfer from boyhood Seattle and is a steady defender who integrates swiftly into a system. He’ll deputize for Antonee Robinson, who has appeared in all but one of Fulham’s first nine games.

Bryan Reynolds is on his first US squad since the 2023 Gold Cup, after joining Rennes this summer. He’ll train alongside Villarreal’s still-rising star Alex Freeman; notably, Sergiño Dest is listed among the defenders after spending most of his time in the last window on the wing.

George Campbell and Neil Pierre will look to build off of their showings in the September/October window, while Chris Richards and Auston Trusty appear to be the initial first-choice partnership for the cycle.

Midfielders Tyler Adams (Bournemouth; 62/2), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund; 4/1), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough; 22/4), Santiago Castañeda (SC Paderborn; 0/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus; 71/12), Adri Mehmeti (Red Bull New York; 3/0), Gio Reyna (RC Strasbourg Alsace; 47/10), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen; 39/7)

Santiago Castañeda is the latest fresh face introduced into a broad and talented collective of US midfielders. The 21-year-old, a ball-winner with strong positional awareness, has quickly taken to the Bundesliga with newly promoted Paderborn. He will be the main alternative to Tyler Adams, who is now in his second camp as national team captain and a vital cog for Bournemouth.

Sebastian Berhalter has enjoyed as fine a 2026 as any US player, still going from strength to strength at the heart of Middlesbrough. He’s become ever-present for Pochettino, often the first man from the bench if he doesn’t crack the starting lineup. Weston McKennie returns after missing the last window with fatigue, having appeared in Juventus’s last six Serie A matches and captained two of their Europa League ties.

Adri Mehmeti and Mathis Albert also return after their debuts in the last window. Malik Tillman and Gio Reyna will be chief string-pullers to progress from midfield to the final third. Reyna is finally enjoying first-choice status in his first season with Strasbourg, while Tillman is facing increasing scrutiny for middling performances with Leverkusen.

Forwards Folarin Balogun (Monaco; 31/12), Justin Ellis (Orlando City; 3/2), Julian Hall (Red Bull New York; 4/3), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; 90/33), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 3/1)

Ellis, Hall and Sullivan earned deserved call-ups after standout showings in September and October. Pochettino had particular praise for Hall, a Polish-American dual national who scored in each of his first three games with the US.

“Julian is a player that fully deserves, after the last camp with us - four games, his performance, how he is performing, it’s no doubt for me to repeat the call-up,” Pochettino said. “I don’t know what he said [about choosing the US over Poland], because I didn’t hear, but when he was with us he was really excited to play for us, to play for the badge, to play for USA. That’s what’s important for us, what counts. In the end, the most important is how he performs, he acts, his commitment.”

Balogun’s place on the roster was never in doubt, as the Monaco forward continues to bounce back from this summer’s World Cup and the transfer drama that came afterwards. On Sunday, the 25-year-old snapped a four-month goalscoring drought that dated back to his World Cup last-32 strike against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ricardo Pepi, who had a goal and an assist for PSV last weekend in his return from injury, was not selected for this window. Pochettino said Pepi was not fully fit and will continue establishing fitness with his club.

“It’s a great opportunity to keep helping [Balogun] to evolve after a tough summer after the World Cup. That is why I think [there is] balance because Justin and Julian, they are fully fit. That is why we didn’t bring, even if he played a few minutes last week, Ricardo Pepi,” Pochettino said. “We decided [it’s] much better to keep him training and establish himself, being more solid in his fitness and being more confident to attack the future. That is why we didn’t want to bring both [Balogun and Pepi], because I think both are not 100%.””

Also unsurprising is the inclusion of Pulisic, who was excluded from the US’s run of games in September and October while continuing to recover from the leg injury he sustained at the World Cup. Pulisic has since largely returned to form for Milan and was rewarded with a new contract; his place in this US group, though, remains murkier than ever, as do the complications of his relationship with Pochettino. A standout performance this window would do much to silence any questions about Pulisic’s form and commitment to the national team.