Opportunity has created some depth on USMNT roster

In every World Cup, the teams who make it deep into the tournament are teams where production can come from anywhere. From the starters to the guy at the end of the bench, all of them are ready to produce when their number is called, and opponents look on with apprehension when the referee signals for a substitution. It’s important to have quality depth because you never know what can happy in any tournament, much less a World Cup.

Through the slow resurgence they have had over the past couple of months, the United States Men’s National Team might have created some depth in the process. Some of the depth was created through necessity, and some through opportunity. But, no matter how it was created, its presence is a boost to the USMNT and to head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

In the early part of 2025, the USMNT were outworked and outplayed in two matches of the Concacaf Nations League Finals, with its starters not producing and with no real options off the bench that were ready for primetime. Pochettino needed to figure out a way to get some depth at crucial positions on the field.

Then, there was the injury bug that forced many of those starters to be withheld from camp for extended periods. The Gold Cup camp saw many regulars not called in because of injury, the Club World Cup, unstable club positions, or – in the case of Christian Pulisic – the desire for rest. The result was a Gold Cup roster that had some regular players, but it also had some guys who had a grand opportunity to show that they were not there to just get an early ticket home.

But something happened on the way to the Gold Cup final, where the team eventually lost to Mexico: players seized on their newfound opportunity. Whether they were there to replace someone who was injured or someone who otherwise wasn’t called in, the USMNT individually and collectively knew they had an opportunity to play themselves into contention for the World Cup roster. And they met that moment with passion.

They played with urgency. They played with grit and determination. They played with heart. They elevated their game. Even as the team hit the fall and began the September international window by getting beat 2-0 by South Korea, the team took ownership and accountability. They knew their play had to improve even more to compete with the teams they would see in the World Cup. And as the fall progressed, you could see that level rise as they went 5W-0L-1D the rest of the way, capping it with a 5-1 throttling of Uruguay.

There are guys throughout 2025 who have received opportunities – whether for the first time or the first in a long time – and have given Mauricio Pochettino something to really think about with their play. Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris, and Alex Zendejas are just a few examples of guys who were not expected to be in the mix for a spot on the World Cup team. Still, most of those guys would see their names listed on the roster were the World Cup to start today.

With the emergence of those guys and more, Pochettino has some options for every match. He has created a system based on the foundation of passion and always playing each match like it was a knockout stage of the World Cup. Sure, there are some guys who most would consider locked in as the starters, but the shape doesn’t necessarily change should Pochettino have to go to his bench and call upon someone else to play heavy minutes. If there are injuries, guys have the experience to step in and not be blinded by the lights of nervousness. Pochettino didn’t have that in March. He might have it now.

There is still a long way to go before the team is fully ready, but the steps have been taken on the road to progress. The sense of urgency has to also play out on the club level as they get quality minutes from week to week in an effort to get better. And when the USMNT reconvenes in March for two friendlies, everyone from 1 to 26 will be ready to contribute and give the United States a chance at victory. The hope is that by the time they walk out for the World Cup opener on June 12th, they will be a deep team that any opponent has to respect.