Mauricio Pochettino will make sure to avoid as much heartbreak as possible with the U.S. men’s national team when he names his final squad ahead of the official 2026 World Cup roster.
While many teams will bring in extra players for a last look during pre-camps ahead of major tournaments, Pochettino wants to avoid that type of heartbreak. As such, he has committed to not over-filling the June roster, keeping it as close to his final World Cup squad as possible to avoid any disappointment.
“I think from the beginning, if you say, okay, that is the 26, that is a shock, but this—okay, you accept. But after to be involved and then to go home, I think it’s more cruel,” he told reporters earlier this week.
“For me, it's easier to call more players than 26, but I think I need to think (terms of) the human being and desire and not to be cruel,” Pochettino added. “You train, you train, and you train. You go home. It's tough."
