The Rondo, USMNT World Cup squad edition: Did Mauricio Pochettino get his selection right? Who is the biggest snub?

Tom Hindle: It looks about right. There will be some valid concerns about center midfield depth, especially with Tanner Tessmann left out. But otherwise, given the injuries, it's hard to have too many complaints. If anything, it stands as proof that when the big games come, you just pick your best guys. Does that mean the last two years have been a bit of a bait and switch from Poch? Maybe. But there's a World Cup to play, boys.

Alex Labidou: If you’ve been following this team since Pochettino’s arrival, this squad shouldn’t be a huge surprise - aside from Diego Luna’s absence. The biggest question mark might be midfield depth. There are plenty of options, but plenty of similarities between those options, too. There’s only one true holding midfielder, and that’s Tyler Adams. As much as Tessmann was often a square peg in a round hole, he could have served as valuable depth. Knowing Adams’ injury history, that’s a real concern.

Ryan Tolmich: It's pretty close to fine. Are there thin spots in the squad? For sure, but, realistically, there's no Landon Donovan-esque omission from the team. Ultimately, much of the World Cup is getting your best players into the team and onto the field in a way that makes sense. Generally, this team does that, even if there are a few decisions that are certainly worth debating.

TH: Is there really one? It's weird because the only snubs worth getting mad about are numbers 19-26 on the roster, who tend to be bench guys anyway. Luna probably has a right to feel a little hard done by, especially given his form for the U.S. under Pochettino before. His moment will likely come, though.

AL: Easily, Luna, who went from being an overlooked player in the national-team pool to one of the faces of Pochettino’s revamped Gold Cup squad. Luna wasn’t dominant in MLS this season, but he was effective. What’s fascinating about his omission is that many assumed Luna was competing with Gio Reyna for a spot, but it’s more likely that Zendejas was the player who pipped him.

RT: Pick a central midfielder. Tessmann and Morris had done more than enough to get into the team, while Yunus Musah will look at the Gio Reyna exception and go, "Hey, what about me?" All three will feel that they could start for this team, but all three will be watching at home. Who would have guessed that a year or so ago?

TH: Zendejas. It felt like Pochettino got asked about him at every press conference, batted the question away, and now remembers he exists. Does that mean he will play? TBD. But it's a surprise to see him included for sure.

AL: It has to be Zendejas. The Club América star has largely been out of the picture under Pochettino and has struggled to find a consistent fit with the USMNT since being capped. He has shown in glimpses that he belongs, though, and he certainly has the feistiness the Argentine craves.

Truthfully, if the World Cup were a year ago, there’d be no real qualms. Zendejas was one of the best players on an elite América team, starring for a club where the pressure is immense every day. Since the start of 2025, though, América haven’t replicated that form, and Zendejas hasn’t been as dominant. Based on Pochettino’s last few squads, the timing and selection appear odd - but the 28-year-old could still turn heads this summer.

RT: There isn't really a pick that makes you go, "That guy made it?" Everyone in the team, generally, makes sense. Alejandro Zendejas is the biggest surprise, if you have to pick one, given how little he's played with the USMNT over the last year or so. That said, his form on the club level makes him worthy of selection, so it adds up.

TH: Honestly? Attacking midfield. Where's the form here? Christian Pulisic has been miserable of late. Malik Tillman never got off the ground for Bayer Leverkusen. Gio Reyna, though immensely talented, barely saw the field this year. Tim Weah didn't set the world alight at Marseille - again, he is not a right back. And with it looking like Weston McKennie will play in a deeper role alongside Tyler Adams, it's tough to see where the creative spark comes from here.

AL: Aside from the lack of cover in defensive midfield, there are still questions about the quality of the defense - especially if Chris Richards isn’t 100 percent. The rest of the center back corps is largely well-known, for better or worse, including its limitations. The wild card could be Auston Trusty, who, similar to Zendejas, wasn’t given a lengthy look despite his club success. If he can translate his Celtic form to the USMNT, the Americans could be better than anticipated defensively.

RT: The midfield! Theoretically, you have Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, which is great, but what happens if one gets injured? What happens if one picks up a suspension? Cristian Roldan and Sebastian Berhalter are certainly good, but this would be a big ask of them, for sure. Fortunately, rotation is largely unnecessary given the time off between games, but there are questions about how the USMNT midfield would fare in a scenario where someone has to miss out.

TH: Well, now it's in front of you, this team looks a whole lot like a bunch of B-tier World Cup teams: really strong in some areas with some obvious holes in others. Ironically, the USMNT face much of the same issues that MLS clubs do in international competition. At numbers 1-11, they can compete with some of the best in the world. But the drop off, especially in central midfield? Yikes. They should be expected to win one knockout game. Win another, and it's an achievement.

AL: It really comes down to Pulisic. No pressure, of course. The reality is that the AC Milan winger is the closest thing the USMNT have to a world-class player, but his form since the turn of 2026 has been well below his standard. In fairness to the 27-year-old, he likely rushed back too quickly from the knock he took against Australia in November and hasn’t looked quite the same since. With almost a month before the U.S. kick off their first match, there is still time for him to recapture his best.

RT: TBD. Is it good enough to compete in the group? Surely. After that, it'll come down to little things. Who's physically fit? Who avoids suspension? Who can add some razzle-dazzle to change a game? Straight up, best XI vs best XI, the U.S. should feel they have a chance against most teams; the question is what that 11 will look like throughout the tournament.

TH: Not harsh as much as surprising. Pochettino has been banging the MLS drum since his first presser, but it seems that when the rubber meets the road, European experience reigns supreme. The European guys at least know what the level is against the best in the world. Assuming that counts for something in Pochettino's USMNT.

AL: Honestly, yes. Pochettino has hyped up MLS multiple times, famously saying it is as competitive as some of the more reputable leagues in the world, yet he selected one fewer player from the league than his predecessor, Gregg Berhalter.

He has also stressed that he wouldn’t pick players solely based on reputation, but then selected Reyna in the midst of a disappointing club season. The reality is Pochettino is likely gone after this tournament, and his roster reflects that.

RT: It's no different than his predecessors. Gregg Berhalter called nine last time. Jurgen Klinsmann had 10 in 2014, although two of those 10 had just come back from Europe at their peaks. It's not an indictment or a step forward for MLS. The league remains a valuable contributor to the USMNT pool, which is logically more Europe-heavy, particularly at the top.