Pochettino finalises USMNT World Cup squad with Reyna inclusion and Luna exclusion
Mauricio Pochettino’s final roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup features Gio Reyna and Alejandro Zendejas, while Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann miss out on the trip to North America.
United States Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino is set to announce the final 26-player squad for the 2026 World Cup at a televised event in New York City on Tuesday. The selection marks the culmination of a rigorous evaluation process for the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the official list required to be confirmed with FIFA by 1 June.
Gio Reyna has been included in the roster, marking a significant return for the midfielder who faced scrutiny during the 2022 World Cup under former coach Gregg Berhalter. Reyna’s inclusion follows reports from The Athletic, with players being informed of the decision on Friday. Despite not playing a full 90-minute club league game in four years, Reyna remains a key figure in the national setup.
Conversely, midfielder Diego Luna is among the notable absentees. Luna had established himself as a regular under Pochettino since his 2024 debut, earning 18 caps and contributing four goals and four assists. His exclusion is compounded by the omission of his Real Salt Lake teammate, Zavier Gozo, who also missed the final cut.
Other significant inclusions confirmed by ESPN include Club América winger Alejandro Zendejas and goalkeepers Matt Freese and Chris Brady. Freese is expected to compete with Matt Turner for the starting position. Additionally, Leeds United’s Brenden Aaronson and Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie have been named to the squad, alongside Sebastian Berhalter, who earned his spot following impressive performances with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
The roster carries notable injury concerns, particularly regarding Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards. Richards has been included despite reports that he suffered a torn ankle ligament, with sources asserting his readiness for the tournament. This follows the earlier exclusion of Johnny Cardoso and Patrick Agyemang due to injury. Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann was also a surprise exclusion, having featured in recent friendlies against Belgium and Portugal.
The USMNT will face Senegal and Germany in friendly matches following the roster announcement before their World Cup campaign begins on 12 June against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Pochettino has until 24 hours before the opening match to replace any players who suffer serious injury or illness after the official submission deadline.
