"The holiday season has come and gone, but it wasn't the right time for U.S. men's national team manager Mauricio Pochettino to play Santa Claus and hand out presents to players. Practically speaking, Pochettino is still about 4½ months away from doling out the biggest gift of all -- a spot on the U.S. World Cup roster. Given his penchant for making unexpected selections, there are still a few spots up for grabs."
"At present, the advantage lies squarely with those performers playing overseas. A couple of notable names will be in UEFA Champions League action as the league phase reaches its climax over the next 10 days. Some MLS players haven't played in a competitive fixture in almost three months, but training camps for its teams are about to begin, which means the pendulum on who is fit and ready will start to swing back."
Pochettino will finalize the U.S. World Cup roster in about 4½ months, leaving several selection spots open. His penchant for making unexpected selections keeps many players in contention. Advantage currently favors overseas performers, with a couple of notable names set for UEFA Champions League action soon. Many MLS players have lacked competitive minutes for almost three months, but training camps are starting and match readiness will change. The March international window arrives after about a month of MLS play and serves as the next evaluation period. The USMNT Big Board assesses the player pool. Goalkeeper Freese is the presumptive starter after an impressive 2025 campaign; Turner possesses World Cup experience but was excluded in November and needs a strong start with the Revolution.
Read at ESPN.com
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