Pochettino's USMNT roster shows flexibility on club-form demand

"It's not closed because you can see [injuries] ... the combination and the dynamic of the group can change depending [on] the selection. I think the most important [thing] is what the player can add to the team and [if] it can be the right player to help to perform with the team."

"That is why we don't follow exactly the rule in all the players exactly in the same way, because all are completely different; different character, different profiles, different quality, different talent. And that is most important to try to find, to detect the right selection, but to be very, very close to performing the way that we perform in the last two camps."

Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT roster for March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal will serve as the final preparation before the May World Cup squad announcement. While the selection will face scrutiny, Pochettino stresses flexibility rather than rigid criteria, noting that injuries and team dynamics can shift player availability. He emphasizes that selection depends on what individual players can contribute to team performance, recognizing that each player has different characteristics, profiles, and qualities. This approach leaves opportunities for excluded players to earn spots later, with Gio Reyna appearing as a notable beneficiary despite limited recent playing time.

Read at ESPN.com