09/17/26 10:11:00
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09/17 10:09 CDT Pulisic left off US roster by Pochettino, Sullivan among 13 who
could make debuts
Pulisic left off US roster by Pochettino, Sullivan among 13 who could make
debuts
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) --- Christian Pulisic was left off the U.S. roster for
the first games in coach Mauricio Pochettino's second term, and 16-year-old
Cavan Sullivan was among 13 newcomers picked Thursday and could become the
youngest player for the American team in 20 years.
Yunus Musah, a 2022 World Cup veteran who hasn't played for the Americans since
March 2025, also was among 28 players selected for friendlies against Peru
(Sept. 26 in Orlando, Florida), Chile (Sept. 29 in St. Louis), Mexico (Oct. 3
in Glendale, Arizona) and Canada (Oct. 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota).
Pulisic, the top U.S. player, failed to score during last summer's World Cup
when he missed one of the Americans' five matches because of a calf injury and
left two others early. Pulisic, who turns 28 on Friday, came off in the second
half of the round of 16 loss to Belgium because of a microfracture of his right
tibia and fibula and didn't make his season debut for AC Milan until last
weekend.
Sullivan, who made his Major League Soccer debut at 14 with Philadelphia in
July 2024, will be two days shy of his 17th birthday when the Americans play
Peru. He could become the youngest U.S. national team player since Freddy Adu
debuted at 16 years, 234 days against Canada on Jan. 22, 2006.
Others who could debut include 17-year-old midfielders Adri Mehmeti and Mathis
Albert; 18-year-old defenders Peyton Miller and Neil Pierre; 18-year-old
forward Julian Hall; 19-year-old midfielder Zavier Gozo; 19-year-old forward
Justin Ellis; 20-year-old goalkeeper Diego Kochen; 20-year-old right back
Frankie Westfield; 20-year-old midfielders Cole Campbell and Brooklyn Raines;
and 25-year-old goalkeeper Brian Schwake.
Two players have just one previous appearance: 22-year-old goalkeeper Chris
Brady and 25-year-old defender George Campbell.
Just 13 players return from the 26-man World Cup roster: goalkeeper Matt Freese
and Brady; defenders Sergio Dest, Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Antonee
Robinson, Miles Robinson and Austin Trusty; midfielders Tyler Adams, Sebastian
Berhalter, Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman; and forward Ricardo Pepi.
Folarin Balogun, who hasn't played for Monaco this season after a possible
transfer to Everton fell through, also was not included. Others from the World
Cup roster who were dropped were goalkeeper Matt Turner; defenders Max Arfsten,
Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream and Joe Scally; midfielders Weston McKennie and
Cristian Roldan; and forwards Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah, Haji Wright and
Alejandro Zendejas.
Twelve players are from Major League Soccer.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago), Matt Freese (New York City), Diego Kochen
(Lyngby), Brian Schwake (Nashville).
Defenders: George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion), Sergio Dest (PSV
Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Peyton Miller (New England), Neil Pierre
(Philadelphia), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham),
Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Frankie Westfield
(Philadelphia).
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund),
Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace), Adri Mehmeti
(New York Red Bulls), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Brooklyn Raines (New England),
Gio Reyna (Strasbourg), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Cole Campbell (SV Elversberg), Justin Ellis (Orlando), Julian Hall
(New York Red Bulls), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Cavan Sullivan
(Philadelphia).
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