Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men's national team must get back to winning ways this summer in the Concacaf Gold Cup, but they'll have to do so without three top talents.
The USMNT released their 60-player preliminary roster on Monday with Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson and Yunus Musah among those in the fold. Not named were Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna, Juventus's Weston McKennie and Tim Weah. The three players were not released by their clubs for international duty given the overlap with FIFA's new Club World Cup and Gold Cup.
After the demoralizing results against Mexico and Canada in the Concacaf Nations League, Pochettino is down three key players during an important summer.
60-player preliminary #USMNT roster for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. No Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie or Tim Weah, as expected. Sebastian Berhalter, Damion Downs, Richy Ledezma among the notable selections. pic.twitter.com/uox8hvQNfs
— Doug McIntyre (@ByDougMcIntyre) May 19, 2025
Why Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah Aren't on USMNT's Gold Cup Roster
McKennie and Weah are big losses. Both players should be viewed as starters in midfield and attack respectively, meaning Pochettino will need to call on second-choice options. It's a big opportunity for whoever receives playing time given how close the World Cup is.
In Reyna's case, despite his lack of recent appearances, he's still viewed by fans as a top talent waiting to be unlocked by Pochettino. Fans have cried out for more creativity, let alone a spark in attacking scenarios. Pulisic has played in the number 10 role under this coach, but he's best deployed out wide where he can threaten defenders and create scoring opportunities. Forcing him to dictate the start of attacks hampers his ability elsewhere.
Reyna is the solution there, for many, but given his limited playing time under Pochettino and lack thereof during the latter years of the Gregg Berhalter era, missing Gold Cup could cause his stock to fall even further. Reyna's made just 15 appearances this season for Dortmund in the Bundesliga. A groin injury kept him out for most of the early season, but he's made just two appearances in Germany's top flight since Mar. 8 for a combined 20 minutes.
Perhaps Dortmund will use him during the Club World Cup where he can first and foremost impress his national team coach, but also raise his stock at the club level so he can earn more playing time at Dortmund or elsewhere if they choose to sell him this summer.
When Will the USMNT Announce Their Gold Cup Roster?
The 60-player preliminary roster must be cut down to a final 26-player roster by June 4. Pochettino likely will opt for a wealth of experience given the aforementioned absences, but he needs to also start cultivating talent from Major League Soccer like Charlotte FC's Patrick Agyemang, Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter.
Players that show out during Gold Cup should likely get opportunities to further impress during the September friendlies against Japan and South Korea.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna and Tim Weah Aren't on USMNT's Gold Cup Roster.
