The current United States men`s national team training camp marks the most extended period Mauricio Pochettino will have the squad together since taking over in September 2024. However, the camp will be short on several first-team regulars, with Folarin Balogun, DeJuan Jones, and Sean Zawadzki all withdrawing due to injuries. Walker Zimmerman, Nathan Harriel, and Paxten Aaronson have been called up to replace them for the upcoming friendly matches against Turkey and Switzerland, leading up to the Gold Cup tournament.
Monaco striker Folarin Balogun has suffered an ankle injury, which will prevent him from making his inaugural appearance under Pochettino. This is another setback for Balogun, who was sidelined with a shoulder injury when the Argentine manager was first appointed. He now misses another camp where he was expected to be the primary attacking option. Balogun is not the only prominent player absent; Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, and Gio Reyna are also unavailable for this camp.
Several factors contribute to the absence of these key players. Some have club obligations, particularly with the Club World Cup scheduled for this summer. Christian Pulisic, specifically, was not included in the squad to allow him a necessary rest period during the off-season. While the absence of top players might not be entirely unusual for a standard Gold Cup, which often features domestic talent, this situation is notable. With the Men`s World Cup set for next summer, this Gold Cup serves as the final significant competitive tournament opportunity for the USMNT before the global event, especially since they do not need to participate in World Cup qualifying.
Given that this is Pochettino`s most substantial block of time spent with the core team, the camp presents a vital chance for development. It`s an opportunity to build cohesion and move past the disappointment of the Concacaf Nations League, where the USMNT not only lost the final to Mexico but also finished fourth after falling to Canada in the third-place match. Improvement is clearly needed under Pochettino`s leadership, but progress may be harder to achieve if he cannot effectively integrate his style with the full group of first-choice players.
Balogun`s unexpected departure creates significant opportunities for forwards like Patrick Agyemang and Brian White to impress. However, if the available attacking players struggle to find their goal-scoring form during the camp and upcoming matches, the team`s recent difficulties in attack could unfortunately continue.
