The 2025 USMNT Nations League roster was announced on Tuesday with head coach Mauricio Pochettino selecting the 23 players who will aim to defeat Panama in the semifinal and the winner of Mexico/Canada in the final.
There were plenty of questions heading into the roster announcement with a litany of injuries including the likes of Ricardo Pepi, Folarin Balogun and more. Here are the 23 players Pochettino called upon.
2025 USMNT Nations League roster
Goalkeepers:
- Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew)
- Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids)
- Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)
Defenders:
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic)
- Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege)
- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse)
- Tim Ream (Charlotte FC)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
- Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Midfielders:
- Tyler Adams (Bournemouth)
- Weston McKennie (Juventus)
- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund)
- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis)
- Tanner Tessmann (Lyon)
- Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
Forwards:
- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
- Yunus Musah (AC Milan)
- Josh Sargent (Norwich City)
- Timothy Weah (Juventus)
- Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC)
- Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Pochettino has selected a mixture of local Major League Soccer talent and players abroad in Europe. About a fourth of the roster plays in MLS with six U.S. based players called up for the Nations League finale.
3 Biggest surprises from 2025 USMNT Nations League roster
3. Gio Reyna gets called up
It’s no secret that Reyna is having arguably the worst season of his young career with Borussia Dortmund. The 22-year-old has just two goals in 20 appearances for Dortmund this season and can’t seem to escape the bench.
Reyna has only started five games all season and is likely to leave the club this summer. Despite the setbacks it’s clear that Pochettino knows the talent and spark that Reyna can bring to the national team. Even on his worst day it seems that Reyna is a likely call-up for the national team.
2. No Alejandro Zendejas
Álex Zendejas getting snubbed was quite a shock. The Club América forward has been electric to start the Liga MX Clausura with five goals and five assists in nine appearances. The 27-year-old is averaging more than one goal contribution per game.
To not see Zendejas on the final 23-man roster raised plenty of eyebrows among USMNT fans. Instead it appears that Pochettino will rely on Pulisic, Weah and Musah as his three main wingers for the Nations League.
1. Brian White??
The USMNT striker situation resembles that of a hospital. The list of injuries just keeps going with Pepi, Balogun and Haji Wright injured. Other options like Jordan Pefok or potential newcomer Damion Downs were also unavailable due to injury.
Pochettino will rely on Josh Sargent who has excelled with Norwich in the EFL Championship this season. After that it will be MLS strikers Patrick Agyemang and Brian White.
White, 29, made his first appearance for the USMNT last year in a January friendly against Slovenia. The Vancouver Whitecaps striker has only ever appeared in the domestic January USMNT camps which typically only features MLS players.
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We’ll admit that White wasn’t on our radar for making the cut, but what an opportunity for the Whitecaps man who has started the 2025 season with three goals in six appearances.
USMNT fans online didn’t have the most positive reactions to seeing White’s name on the roster. Imagine the scenes if he comes on to score a winner…
The U.S. will face Panama in the semifinal on Thursday, March 20 at SoFi Stadium. They will then play in either the final or third-place game against Mexico or Canada on March 23.
