Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, and Weston McKennie are officially back with the U.S. national team, ending their post-World Cup hiatus and joining a 25-player squad set to take on Haiti in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals. Talk about a statement from Coach Mauricio Pochettino. These three have been out of the picture since that brutal Round of 16 loss to Belgium at the World Cup, mostly sidelined with injuries, but also because Pochettino wanted to give the young guns a look. Now, with the Nations League on the line, the cavalry has arrived.
The Big Guns Are Back, And They’re Firing
Pulisic, Balogun, and McKennie’s return is huge. They’re not just back, they’re stepping into camp on Monday outside Atlanta, gearing up for the first leg against Haiti on November 14 in Miami, then finishing up on November 17 in Cincinnati. Remember that Belgium game? It was rough. Especially for Pulisic, who left that match early right here in Seattle with what was later diagnosed as a microfracture of his tibia and fibula. That was a gut punch, wasn’t it? But get this: our Captain America is back at full health and just scored the opener in AC Milan’s massive 3-1 victory over Inter Milan last weekend. The man is ready!
And Balogun? The source mentions he actually played against Belgium despite picking up a red card in the previous stage against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Wild, right? You gotta wonder what was going on there. But he’s also finding his form, netting his first goal since the World Cup as a sub in Monaco’s 3-1 loss to Paris FC. McKennie, our midfield general, is also in the mix. Pochettino isn’t holding back, stating, “We are excited to bring this group together at the beginning of our journey in this important competition. These players have earned the opportunity to compete and help achieve our main objective, which is to win and advance in the tournament.” He means business, and so do these players.
Youth Movement Meets Veteran Power
While the big three are back, Pochettino isn’t abandoning his youth movement. Nineteen players from the September-October camp, which saw impressive home victories over Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Canada, are sticking around. But there are some fresh faces too: Nashville’s Reed Baker-Whiting, a 21-year-old left back, and Paderborn’s Santiago Castañeda, a 21-year-old midfielder, are getting their first senior camp invites. Rennes’ Bryan Reynolds, a 25-year-old right back, is also back, looking for his first U.S. match appearance since 2023.
Pochettino also introduced a dozen Olympic-eligible players to senior competition earlier this fall, and he’s keeping seven of them for these Haiti matches, including teenage forwards Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, and Justin Ellis. The under-23 squad is kicking off their 2028 Olympic build-up with a camp overseas, and there’s even an under-20 camp happening back home. It’s clear Pochettino is building for the future, but he’s also not afraid to call in the big guns when it counts. It does mean some notable names are out, though. AC Milan’s Yunus Musah, World Cup vets like Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally, and Matt Turner, plus Ricardo Pepi and Jack McGlynn are all absent from this roster. Even Pepi, who had a goal and assist last weekend for PSV, is still working back from injury. It just shows how deep this pool is getting!
So, what do you say, Seattle? This roster feels different. With Pulisic back from his Seattle injury nightmare and Balogun seemingly cleared for takeoff, the USMNT is set to face Haiti. Let’s see if they bring the fire and punch their ticket to the next round of the Nations League!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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