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The squad is finalized. Under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the U.S. men's national team has confirmed its 26-man roster for the 2026 World Cup, officially unveiled on Tuesday during a live event held in New York City.
Anchored by key figures Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun, a number of roster inclusions came as little surprise. However, the outer edges of the squad raised eyebrows, particularly with the absence of some of the more dependable players throughout Pochettino's reign so far.
Here, Sports Illustrated breaks down the three most notable omissions from Pochettino's 26-man USMNT World Cup squad.
Tanner Tessmann (Lyon)
There was a time when earning regular playing time in Europe was virtually a guaranteed ticket onto any U.S. roster. That's no longer the reality, and Lyon's Tanner Tessmann stands out as one of the most conspicuous absences from this summer's squad.
Since breaking into the USMNT setup in 2024, the now 24-year-old has been a consistent presence under Pochettino, featuring in the last three national team camps and logging meaningful minutes during the March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. Had he been included, he would likely have been a strong candidate to start alongside Tyler Adams in central midfield.
Instead, despite his strong showing in France — where he made 41 appearances for Lyon, accumulating 28 starts and 2,546 minutes — Tessmann will be absent from the engine room, a potentially costly oversight given the squad's lack of box-to-box depth.
Pochettino chose to include Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter and Seattle Sounders' Cristian Roldan in his place, a call that may prove justified given their more defined roles, but does little to soften the blow of Tessmann's exclusion.
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Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
One of the standout performers for the USMNT in 2025, Diego Luna ranks among the most surprising omissions from Pochettino's roster. Though he won't be on the pitch, the Real Salt Lake midfielder will still be a visible presence throughout the tournament — his image featured prominently in USMNT kit promotions, commercial partnerships and as one of 20 players included in the official Panini Sticker Collection.
While Pochettino made clear back in March that marketing exposure would carry no weight in his selection decisions, Luna's strong return to form following an early-season injury could have made a compelling case for his inclusion regardless.
The 22-year-old is among the most effective dribblers in tight spaces and shows no hesitation taking on defenders, bringing a unique intensity and tenacity to the attacking midfield role. His performances since returning to MLS action have also been impressive, tallying four goals and three assists across 608 minutes.
Nevertheless, it's evident he doesn't factor into Pochettino's plans. He played a meaningful role in one chapter of the USMNT's story in 2025, but the manager appears to be turning the page with a different vision heading into this summer.
"It's a puzzling decision for me," RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni said. "In 2025, the national team really relied on him, both as an attacking threat and as a mentality piece. Pochettino acknowledged his fighting spirit, and I just think that in a [World] Cup where you need a difference maker — someone who's going to step into a game where the moment won't be too big — I just thought that [Luna made sense.]."
Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough)
Aidan Morris won't be heading to the Premier League next season, after his Middlesbrough side was beaten by Hull City in the EFL Championship play-off final — a defeat that set the tone for a difficult week, as the midfielder subsequently discovered he had also been left out of the World Cup squad despite a solid campaign in England's second division.
While Tessmann represents the most obvious midfield snub, Morris and how naturally he fits the team's system is a close second. The former Columbus Crew man had been a regular fixture under Pochettino over the past year and had consistently performed in high-pressure situations for a club that thrives under scrutiny.
In isolation, Morris' exclusion isn't entirely shocking; what makes it harder to accept, however, is that the 31-year-old Roldan — who has struggled for form with the Sounders this season — was preferred over a younger, comparable player who excelled in MLS before successfully making the leap to European football.
With all three snubs being central midfielders, the USMNT looks dangerously thin in that area, raising serious concerns should any midfielder be forced out through fatigue, injury or suspension during the tournament.
Regardless, Pochettino has made his selections. He has his group, and Tanner Tessmann, Diego Luna and Aidan Morris will be watching proceedings from home.