- Gomez says Pochettino’s selection priorities remain unclear
- Alarmed that a consistent starting lineup hasn’t emerged
- Suggested current selection patterns fuel speculation
Former U.S. striker Herculez Gomez criticized Mauricio Pochettino’s September roster, arguing the coach’s inconsistent selections show neither a settled lineup nor a defined core with less than a year before the 2026 كأس العالم.
“Certainly Mauricio Pochettino is valuing different things here,” Gomez said on his YouTube channel. “He’s not calling up players like an Auston Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers, who have valuable European experience. And it’s the age-old question of ‘How valuable is it to be in Europe, if you’re not a prime player?’ The two I just mentioned are prime players, and they didn’t get called up.”
Gomez also pointed to the return of Matt Turner and Paxten Aaronson to MLS to improve their chances with the وطني team, yet neither was selected – prompting some confusion.
“Paxten Aaronson and Matt Turner came back to الدوري الأمريكي لكرة القدم with the hope of being important players, and this being their opportunity to get on the good graces of Mauricio Pochettino. That doesn’t happen,” Gomez said. “There’s just no rhyme or reason going on here with Mauricio Pochettino. That’s the worrying thing. It’s not that there’s just four windows, it’s that there’s four windows, and by this moment you should have an idea of what you’re starting XI is. And he doesn’t have an idea.”
Gomez expressed particular frustration regarding the return of some USMNT players in this roster.
“Alejandro Zendejas is back in the fold, that’s awesome. It would have been [better] six months ago when he was balling out, when he was playing out of his mind out of his skin,” he said. “He’s settled down a bit since, he’s been criticized a bit because he and a lot of other America players because of their form collectively and individually. So when he was playing well, you didn’t call him up. And now that he’s cooled off, you called him up? There’s no rhyme or reason there.”
He also touched on Pulisic’s return to the squad.
“Christian Pulisic. Everybody expected to be called up,” he said. “I don’t think Mauricio Pochettino is an idiot by any means. He’s not going to go against his own best interest to not call up his best player. But there are players who could be helping him right now. Haji Wright, some of the centerbacks… You’re leading these tin-hat conspiracy theorists to go down these tunnels, and you’re kind of giving them this ammo.”
The USMNT find themselves in a precarious position under Pochettino’s leadership as the 2026 World Cup approaches. Since his appointment in April 2025, the Argentine manager has continuously reshuffled his player pool across multiple camps without establishing a clear hierarchy or continuity.
The USMNT will face كوريا الجنوبية on Sept. 6 in Sports Illustrated Stadium, followed by اليابان on Sept. 9 at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.
