They're back: Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson and Matt Turner all return to USMNT, join Christian Pulisic to headline Mauricio Pochettino's October squad

McKennie, Turner and Robinson highlight a list of 15 players included on the roster after missing the September camp. McKennie is back in the team for the first time since March's CONCACAF Nations League defeats, while Robinson - the 2024 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year - will be looking to earn his first cap of 2025 after nursing injuries for much of the spring.

Joining them among the returnees are Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman and Haji Wright, who have all scored goals recently on the club level, but were not on the September roster.

Among those who were part of the USMNT's split results in September matches against South Korea and Japan, Pulisic headlines, joined by regulars such as Richards, Tim Ream and Matt Freese. Folarin Balogun, too, is on the roster after scoring in the Japan win. Same for Alejandro Zendejas, who has kept that form rolling with Club America in Liga MX.

With 80 caps, Pulisic is the most experienced player on the roster, followed by Ream (77), McKennie (60), Turner (52) and Robinson (50). There are 10 MLS players in the squad.

GOALKEEPERS: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Matt Turner (New England Revolution) 

DEFENDERS: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Mark McKenzie (FC Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati) 

MIDFIELDERS: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), James Sands (FC St. Pauli), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen) 

FORWARDS: Patrick Agyemang (Derby County), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Marseille), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Alex Zendejas (Club America) 

Of course, the squad also has some notable absences, several of which are due to injury. Johnny Cardoso, Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest and Gio Reyna are among those dealing with fitness issues at the moment, and none of those four were called in for this camp. Also left out was midfield mainstay Tyler Adams.

Of the 26 players in camp, only one will be featuring under Pochettino for the first time - St. Pauli midfielder James Sands, who was last on the USMNT during the 2023 Gold Cup. Sands has since shone in the Bundesliga after making the move from NYCFC, earning this USMNT return in one of the final few camps pre-World Cup.

Players will begin reporting to Austin, Texas on Saturday ahead of the match against Ecuador at Q2 Stadium on Oct. 10. The USMNT will then head to DICK's Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids, to host Australia on Oct. 14.

The friendlies with two teams ranked in the top 25 in the world by FIFA will provide the USMNT an opportunity to compete against World Cup-bound teams. Ecuador will make its fifth World Cup appearance, already having qualified. Australia will make its sixth consecutive World Cup appearance.