It would be an honor to represent my country at the World Cup
As the United States prepares to host the World Cup for the first time in three decades, manager Mauricio Pochettino has quietly drawn the lines of a roster that carries both promise and the weight of unresolved stories. The selection of Gio Reyna — once sent home in controversy — speaks to the eternal tension in sport between character and talent, redemption and risk. In choosing these 26 men to represent a nation on its own soil, Pochettino has made not just tactical decisions but human ones, each inclusion and exclusion a small verdict on what this team values and who it believes it can become.
- Gio Reyna's inclusion forces the question of whether a player's past conduct can be fully set aside when the stakes are this high and the stage this visible.
- The omission of Diego Luna — 22 club goals in three seasons and four international strikes — leaves a productive, proven contributor watching from home, a reminder that roster cuts are rarely clean or painless.
- Zavier Gozo's exclusion compounds the disappointment for Real Salt Lake, whose players emerged as genuine contributors during qualifying only to be left out of the final accounting.
- Pochettino steps into his first World Cup as manager with the full weight of a host nation's expectations, opening June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium before a country hungry for a deep run.
- The official announcement, expected after Memorial Day, still hangs in the air — the roster known but not yet declared, the tension between rumor and confirmation holding the moment in suspension.
The United States men's national team has settled on its 26-player World Cup roster, with manager Mauricio Pochettino making his first major tournament selections ahead of a home tournament that carries enormous symbolic weight for American soccer.
The most discussed name on the list is Gio Reyna, whose path back to the national team has been anything but straightforward. Sent home from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar over behavioral issues, the now 23-year-old spent last season at Borussia Mönchengladbach and has spoken openly about how much a second World Cup chance would mean to him. Pochettino's decision to include him is a clear signal that talent and time have outweighed the controversy. Sebastian Berhalter, son of former coach Gregg Berhalter, and 2022 veteran Brenden Aaronson are also among those selected, alongside defender Mark McKenzie and goalkeeper Turner.
Not everyone made it through. Diego Luna, who scored four goals in 18 appearances and has been one of Real Salt Lake's most productive players over the past three seasons, was left off the final squad. His club teammate Zavier Gozo, who had grown into a meaningful contributor during 2025 qualifying, also missed the cut — a painful outcome for two players who had done much to earn their places.
The USMNT opens its campaign on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. For Pochettino, it is the beginning of a tournament that could define his tenure — and for a generation of American players, a chance to make history on home ground.
The United States men's soccer team has settled on its 26-player roster for the 2026 World Cup, according to multiple sources briefed on the decision. The announcement comes as the nation prepares to host the tournament for the first time since 1994, with manager Mauricio Pochettino making his first World Cup selections in what amounts to a significant moment for American soccer.
Among those expected to make the cut is Gio Reyna, a decision that closes a complicated chapter in the player's national team history. Reyna was sent home from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar following what officials described as behavioral issues, an incident that cast a shadow over his international career despite his undeniable talent. Now 23, he spent this past season with Borussia Mönchengladbach, accumulating 509 minutes of playing time. His inclusion signals that Pochettino has moved past the controversy, betting that Reyna's ability outweighs the baggage. In a recent statement, Reyna expressed his eagerness for the opportunity. "I'm just hoping and waiting for the call-up, it would be an honor," he said, emphasizing how much the national team means to him and his desire to make an impact at a World Cup on home soil.
Also selected is Sebastian Berhalter, son of former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter, alongside midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who represented the country at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Defender Mark McKenzie and goalkeeper Turner round out the reported selections, though U.S. Soccer has not yet formally announced the roster. The federation is expected to make the official announcement after Memorial Day.
The roster decisions inevitably meant leaving talented players behind. Diego Luna, a standout for Real Salt Lake, did not make the final squad despite becoming a key rotation player for the national team during 2025 qualifying. Luna has scored four goals in 18 matches for the USMNT and has been prolific at club level, recording 22 goals over the past three seasons with Real Salt Lake. Zavier Gozo, another Real Salt Lake midfielder, also missed the cut despite his emergence as an important contributor to the team's recent form.
The USMNT will begin its World Cup campaign on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. For Pochettino, it marks the beginning of what many hope will be a transformative tournament for American soccer, played entirely on home turf with a squad that blends experience and emerging talent.
Notable Quotes
I'm just hoping and waiting for the call-up, it would be an honor. The national team means a lot to me. I'd love to be there, have an impact on the team. It would be a dream to represent my country at the World Cup.— Gio Reyna
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Gio Reyna's inclusion matter so much? He's talented, but he was sent home from the last World Cup.
Because it's a statement about second chances and about what Pochettino believes the team needs. Reyna is genuinely gifted, but there's a trust question that had to be resolved.
And it was resolved?
Apparently. Pochettino looked at the player, not just the incident. That's a choice, and it signals something about how he wants to manage the group.
What about the players who didn't make it? Luna seems like he earned his way in.
He did. But roster decisions are never just about statistics. Pochettino had to choose 26 from a larger pool, and Luna didn't fit his vision. That's the brutal part of selection.
Does it feel like the right squad for a home World Cup?
It's hard to say without seeing them play. But it's a squad that balances redemption stories with proven performers. Whether that chemistry works under pressure—that's what we'll find out in June.