USMNT January camp: Mauricio Pochettino calls in MLS-heavy roster with hopes of expanding player pool

U.S. men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has selected a group chiefly made of MLS players for the annual January camp, including nearly a dozen players who could make their international debut in a crucial year for the team.

While Charlotte FC’s Tim Ream and Nashville SC’s Walker Zimmerman are amongst the experienced players on the roster, only six of the 24 players in camp have double-digit appearances. Six members of the U-23 team that reached the quarterfinals of last summer’s Olympics made the cut, including goalkeeper Patrick Schulte and 2024 MLS Cup finalist John Tolkin. Schulte’s name stands out amongst the bunch since the USMNT’s starting position is an area of focus as Pochettino takes the reins, even if previous first choice Matt Turner has hung onto the role in the early months of the new coach’s tenure.

Much like his predecessors, Pochettino will use the January camp as an opportunity to work with American talent performing well in MLS, many of whom are still in their offseasons and are available to take part in a camp that falls outside the FIFA windows. The group includes the Vancouver Whitecaps’ Brian White, who has one cap for the national team and was the highest scoring American in MLS last season with 16 goals. Additionally, 10 players could earn their first cap at the end of the month, a list that includes the Miami-born forward Matko Miljevic, who is eligible to represent the U.S., Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.

The USMNT’s camp will begin Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and run for two weeks, concluding with a game at Chase Stadium against Venezuela on Jan. 18 and a fixture against Costa Rica on Jan. 22 at Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium.

See the full roster below.

USMNT January camp roster

GOALKEEPERS (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids)

DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), George Campbell (CF Montreal), DeJuan Jones (Columbus Crew), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas), Jalen Neal (CF Montreal), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

MIDFIELDERS (4): Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami), Emeka Eneli (Real Salt Lake), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union)

FORWARDS (7): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Caden Clark (CF Montreal), Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas), Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire), Matko Miljevic (Unattached), Indiana Vassilev (St. Louis City), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps)