Pulisic and Reyna Head Into March USMNT Window, but Adams Sidelined with Injury
Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna are locked in for the U.S. men's national team's March friendlies, but Seattle Sounders captain Cristian Roldan will have to watch from home as Tyler Adams gets held out with an injury. Mauricio Pochettino just dropped a 27-player roster for back-to-back matches against Belgium and Portugal later this month, and this squad is basically a dress rehearsal for the World Cup later this year.
Two Tough Tests in Atlanta
The USMNT is heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the whole camp. Players report March 22, then it's Belgium on March 28 followed by Portugal three days later. Both opponents are sitting in the top 10 of FIFA's world rankings, so these aren't gimmes. Pochettino made it clear these matches matter: "We must treat these games like they are a part of the World Cup, and what is most important is that the players bring the right mentality and commitment to the group."
Injuries Open Doors for Role Players
Tyler Adams' absence hurt. The AFC Bournemouth midfielder was held out of a 0-0 draw against Burnley last weekend with an undisclosed injury. Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said it "doesn't look too serious," but it was enough to keep Adams off this roster. That opened spots for Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and Middlesbrough's Aidan Morris to crack the squad. Other injury casualties? Coventry's Haji Wright took a groin injury in the 63rd minute of a 2-1 loss to Southampton, which made room for Derby County's Patrick Agyemang. PSV Eindhoven's Sergiño Dest suffered a hamstring injury about a week ago and also missed the cut.
The good news: Atlético Madrid's Johnny Cardoso is back after missing time since last summer's Gold Cup, and PSV's Ricardo Pepi returned from a broken arm he got in January. Fulham's Antonee Robinson is also back in the fold.
What's Next for Seattle
This roster is basically Pochettino's blueprint for the World Cup squad he's building. Every player knows the stakes are real, and every minute on the field in Atlanta counts. For Sounders fans, Roldan missing this window stings a little, but there will be plenty of chances to represent before the tournament kicks off later this year.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.