Mauricio Pochettino: ‘Disrespectful’ To Focus On USA World Cup Roster Omissions

The United States unveiled its 2026 FIFA World Cup roster on Tuesday, but not without a bit of controversy and debate. Midfielders Gio Reyna and Sebastian Berhalter were included on U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man World Cup roster Tuesday along with winger Alejandro Zendejas, while midfielders Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann were left off. Defender Sergiño Dest, midfielder Tyler Adams and forward Haji Wright were added after missing March friendlies because of injuries. Zendejas was bypassed for the March roster after a knee injury last fall. Players were announced in order of uniform number on the roof of the South Street Seaport’s Pier 17, with the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop. ‘Disrespectful’ To Bring Up Roster Omissions When asked about some notable omissions from the squad, Pochettino dismissed the line of questioning, stating that focusing on the omissions undermines the players who earned their spots. “I think we cannot talk about the players that are not in the roster, because I think it’s very disrespectful to the player that made the roster,” Pochettino said. “Because … we are going to talk about the players that are not in the roster …and that for me is very disrespectful.” The manager took full accountability for the final cuts, noting that adding one fan-favorite would only spark debate about another. “That was my decision to pick that 26 and now we need to respect (it),” Pochettino said. “If I include one for sure, you are going to ask me for another … we really believe that that squad, these 26 players are the right players.” Pochettino emphasized that the selection process was the culmination of an exhaustive, 18-month scouting period aimed at building a team that can contend with the world’s best. “We were working really hard, doing one year and a half or more to try to arrive in this moment in the best condition with all the information to try and to make the best decision,” he said. “It’s impossible to be fair with everyone, but they seem to make the best decision to be competitive on their end, and to try to win.” Who Made The Cut? Among the most notable inclusions is Reyna, a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna. Reyna was nearly sent home from the 2022 World Cup by then-coach Gregg Berhalter for lack of hustle and made just four starts this season for Borussia Mönchengladbach — none since Dec. 19. Despite the limited playing time, Reyna is viewed by Pochettino as a “special player.” Sebastian Berhalter, a 25-year-old son of the former coach, also made the cut. He made his national team debut last June and became the Americans’ best corner-kick taker. Players who had been on the March roster included goalkeeper Patrick Schulte along with Tessmann and fellow midfielder Aidan Morris. Luna missed the March matches because of a knee injury after playing in 17 of 18 international games last year, but ultimately could not reclaim his spot. The U.S. squad was also hampered by health issues, with two players sidelined by recent injuries: midfielder Johnny Cardoso underwent right ankle surgery and forward Patrick Agyemang is dealing with a torn right Achilles. Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is also out as he continues recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in October. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).