Pochettino Shocks USMNT Fans by Bringing Back Pulisic's Unexpected Replacement
Mauricio Pochettino extended an opportunity to several recognizable players for his final U.S. men's national team (USMNT) selection of 2025, with Gio Reyna being among the most significant comebacks to a lineup missing Christian Pulisic.
The AC Milan attacker has been out of action with a minor hamstring strain since suffering the injury during the opening period of last month's exhibition match versus Australia. Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri indicated that he anticipates Pulisic to feature in some capacity against Parma this Sunday, though it seems the Serie A club has reached an understanding with the USMNT to allow their winger complete recovery time.
Reyna's inclusion to cover for Pulisic's absence comes as somewhat unexpected. The vocal Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder hasn't earned a cap since March and has received only a single starting opportunity at club level for a team struggling near the bottom of the Bundesliga standings.
Leeds United's Brenden Aaronson has earned selection for a consecutive roster after breaking a three-year Premier League scoring dry spell, while PSV Eindhoven's reliable scorer Ricardo Pepi returns to the setup for the first time in nearly twelve months.
USMNT November 2025 Friendlies
Following last month's promising displays against Australia and Ecuador, Pochettino will guide his team against two nations from South America, his native region. The USMNT kick off versus Paraguay (ranked 39th globally) at Philadelphia Union's Subaru Park venue before welcoming Uruguay (15th) in Tampa, Florida.
Date | Kickoff Time | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
Nov. 15 | 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT | Paraguay |
Nov. 19 | 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m PT | Uruguay |