Mauricio Pochettino makes two controversial calls as USA World Cup squad announced

Mauricio Pochettino’s first World Cup squad as United States manager has already sparked fierce debate after the Argentine made two major selection decisions that stunned supporters ahead of the tournament.The former Chelsea and Tottenham boss officially unveiled his 26-man squad during a fan event in New York as excitement builds ahead of the World Cup arriving on American soil.Hundreds of supporters gathered at Pier 17 in Manhattan for the announcement ceremony, with players introduced individually on stage while fans waved flags, held signs and celebrated in the sunshine.But while the atmosphere remained upbeat throughout the event, controversy surrounding Pochettino’s selections quickly dominated discussion among supporters in attendance. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say One fan even held up a sign reading: “Poch We Want Diego Luna” during the live broadcast after the Real Salt Lake attacker emerged as one of the most surprising omissions from the squad.Luna had been widely expected to travel to the World Cup following impressive performances for both club and country over the past year.The 22-year-old enjoyed a strong Gold Cup campaign in 2025 and registered four goals alongside one assist in nine MLS appearances this season.His absence became even more notable given he had recently appeared prominently in promotional campaigns for both Nike and Fox Sports ahead of the tournament.Instead, Pochettino opted to include Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Gio Reyna despite the American enduring another difficult season in Europe.Reyna managed just one goal and one assist across 20 appearances this campaign following injuries and inconsistent form in Germany.His inclusion is also likely to reignite memories of the highly-publicised fallout involving his family and former United States manager Gregg Berhalter after the 2022 World Cup.Pochettino’s second major gamble came in midfield, where he surprisingly overlooked Tanner Tessmann while selecting a relatively light group of central options.LATEST SPORTS NEWS:Rafael Nadal shows off disfigured foot for the first time after years of tennis took a tollLuke Littler receives warning about his conduct ahead of Premier League Finals NightJamie Vardy to leave Italy with EFL club eager to secure summer transferOnly four midfielders were included in the squad, with Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie expected to start alongside MLS-based pair Cristian Roldan and Sebastian Berhalter.Berhalter’s selection attracted immediate attention given he is the son of former USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter, who was dismissed after the United States’ disappointing Copa America campaign in 2024.Speaking after the squad announcement, Pochettino admitted leaving players out had been one of the hardest parts of the process.“When I was a player, I missed two World Cups,” he said.“I missed 1994 and 1998.“But I kept working and in 2002 I made the roster and played in the World Cup.”The Argentine also acknowledged the emotional toll of finalising the squad.“It’s very disappointing for the people that are not here,” he admitted.“I didn’t sleep for two weeks because we care about the people and we care about our players.“But that is soccer and we need to move on.”Despite the controversy, much of the squad was widely expected.Christian Pulisic headlines the group after another strong season with AC Milan, while Juventus midfielder McKennie, Fulham defender Antonee Robinson and Bournemouth captain Adams were all included.Half of the selected squad will be appearing at a World Cup for the first time.Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards and FC Cincinnati centre-back Miles Robinson are among the defensive debutants after previously missing major tournaments through injury.There was also a place for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, who switched international allegiance from England to the United States in 2023.PSV forward Ricardo Pepi also earned selection after controversially missing out on the 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter