U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino unveiled his 25-player roster for the upcoming November international window on Wednesday. The standard nine-day camp will conclude with a two-game series against Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, the Americans first competitive action since the 2026 World Cup.

The Argentine boss wasn’t quite as bold with his roster selections as he was last month, welcoming several seasoned veterans back into the fold, such as Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie, all of whom were excluded last time out. Nevertheless, Pochettino has still handed out massive second opportunities to burgeoning young stars, including Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall and Mathis Albert.

The USMNT is riding high after a perfect fall window in which it cruised to four straight victories; however, the pressure is still mounting. The U.S. has unbelievably high ambitions for the post-World Cup era, and regional dominance will be a non-negotiable to meet that standard. If the Americans can win on aggregate against Haiti—a notoriously tricky opponent, then they will advance to the Nations League finals next March as well as book a direct spot into the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Pochettino will take no chances with his starting lineup in the must-win competitive figures. Here is how the USMNT could line up in the November international window.

USMNT Predicted Lineup for November Matches (4-3-2-1)

GK: Diego Kochen—Pochettino trusted the 20-year-old Lyngby star for 90 minutes between the sticks against the USMNT’s most bitter rival, Mexico. The Americans walked away with an emphatic win, while Diego Kochen earned himself a nice clean sheet, albeit only having to make one save. Pochettino sees a lot of potential in the young Barcelona academy graduate to be the future stalwart No. 1, and will be adamant to put him to the test against Haiti.

RB: Alex Freeman—One of the biggest revelations of the World Cup, 22-year-old Alex Freeman will retain his place in Pochettino’s XI. The Villarreal man has only grown in confidence at the domestic level in Spain, establishing his starting spot and stunning even the likes of Real Madrid’s Galacticos with his two-way versatility, creativity and athleticism.

CB: Chris Richards—The 26-year-old may be struggling to breathe life into a floundering Crystal Palace at the moment; however, he will always be the life source of the USMNT’s backline. Chris Richards is by far the most consistent center back Pochettino has on offer, leaving the manager more concerned with who is the best match for him.

CB: Auston Trusty—The 28-year-old center back—also capable of playing fullback—proved his worth last month, after a rather limited involvement at the World Cup. He proved Richards’s strongest partner on the backline, defined by his complementary aerial capabilities, vocal leadership and distribution savvy. Although Auston Trusty has been out of domestic play for club side Celtic since mid-October while mourning the death of his father, it appears he is ready to return to the pitch.

LB: Antonee Robinson—No one is taking the left flank from Antonee Robinson. The 29-year-old Fulham star is getting older, though, likely the reason for Pochettino calling up several new reinforcements at the fullback position this month. Robinson held down the left side in the recent friendlies against Chile and Mexico, as he has done over two World Cups now (2022, 2026) and countless regional competitions.

Pick Your USMNT XI!

CM: Weston McKennie—Back in Pochettino’s roster, expect Weston McKennie to work his way back into the starting lineup too. The midfielder has been dominating for Serie A giant Juventus this season and has been one of Pochettino’s main go-to guys—the only American to start all five World Cup matches this summer. He will face significant competition from an ascending Sebastian Berhalter, though.

CM: Tyler Adams—The 27-year-old is a guarantee in the starting lineup. Tyler Adams is the USMNT’s new long-term captain, taking over the reins from the retired Tim Ream. The Bournemouth star boasts every quality a manager needs in a defensive midfielder. He is as selfless as they come, doing all the dirty work without ever looking for an ounce of credit. Adams is finally getting his flowers, though, especially after helping the Cherries to six-straight victories, including thrashings of Manchester United and AC Milan.

RW: Cavan Sullivan—The 17-year-old has done more than just prove himself as the future of the USMNT; he is undeniably the present. After dominating Major League Soccer with the Philadelphia Union since the summer, he showed he can match that level of success on the international stage. Cavan Sullivan stunned even Pochettino with his fearlessness on the ball, a trait that allowed him to become the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history.

AM: Gio Reyna—Pochettino sees something special in Gio Reyna. Even when the 23-year-old attacker was riding the bench at Borussia Mönchengladbach, the Argentine boss continually put his faith in Reyna. And now that the young star is finally getting consistent minutes at Strasbourg, Pochettino’s appreciation has only grown. Reyna was the only player to start every international match last month, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the same thing happens this go-around.

LW: Christian Pulisic—The 28-year-old superstar is finally back to playing to his potential, and when Christian Pulisic is humming, there is no choice but to thrust him into the starting lineup. The major unknown Pochettino must grapple with is not how much Pulisic will play, but rather the influence he will have. In the post-World Cup era, Pochettino has continually emphasized the need for a “fresh start,” which could very well include moving away from Pulisic as the face and heartbeat of the team.

ST: Julian Hall—Teenage sensation Julian Hall should earn the start at striker, even if World Cup favorite Folarin Balogun is breathing down his neck. While Balogun is still recovering from scandal and a minor leg injury, Hall is firing on all cylinders. The 18-year-old Red Bull New York star scored in each of his first three appearances for the USMNT, becoming only the third player in program history to do so and the youngest globally since a certain Pelé roughly 70 years ago.