Pochettino sets the record straight on ‘regular players’ in USMNT after Pulisic, McKennie omissions in 5–1 win over Uruguay

Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie have been two of the biggest absences for the U.S. men’s national team during the November international break, even as the squad picked up two strong results. After a dominant 5–1 win over Uruguay, head coach Mauricio Pochettino set the record straight regarding the idea of “regular players” in the USMNT.

Following a solid performance against Paraguay, the USMNT faced Uruguay on Tuesday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. With only Sergiño Dest and Matt Freese remaining in the starting lineup from one match to the next, Pochettino’s reshuffled side, with Sebastian Berhalter and Alex Freeman as standout performers, stunned the South American giants in a historic 5–1 victory.

Pochettino was asked about his bold decision to make nine lineup changes and his recent comments on not having “regular players,” a question that ignited the Argentine boss: “I don’t want to be negative, but I hate that: ‘no regular players‘. What this means is that the USA is playing, the national team. We have to stop with that mindset. Every time that we make our decision and pick our starting XI, the U.S. Men’s National Team is playing.“

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager backed his squad once again, making his stance clear on the respect his players deserve. “I think after one year, you need to really know me and that I hate to talk this way. It’s disrespectful. I think we need to give credit to all of the guys who were involved today,” he added.

Pulisic, Timothy Weah, and McKennie were three major absences for the USMNT in November. Pulisic and Weah were still in the late stages of their injury recovery, while for McKennie, Pochettino noted that the midfielder needs to earn the trust of new Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti, something Pochettino already knows he can provide at the national-team level.

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Still, Pochettino remains firm in his approach of giving minutes to a wide range of players as he builds toward the USMNT final roster for the 2026 World Cup. Between the Paraguay and Uruguay matches, 21 of the 24 players called into November camp saw action, reinforcing the coach’s belief in developing more than just a traditional starting XI.

Pochettino, USMNT, and a sense of ‘togetherness’

Several stars missed the November international break, yet Pochettino guided the U.S. to five straight unbeaten results against top-40 opponents for the first time since 2013. Beyond streaks or scorelines, what mattered most to the Argentine manager was the players’ attitude and commitment.

In the postmatch press conference, Pochettino emphasized what he wants from this group: “What I really appreciate from the team and from all the staff is in the way that we start to connect together, and that is the most important (thing) to arrive to the World Cup and to have the chance to challenge the big teams. It’s how the team behaves: nine changes from Paraguay, but we keep the idea, the philosophy, the faith, the fight, the togetherness.“

He went on to highlight the unity he sensed throughout the match. “I don’t know if you can perceive or not, but all the players on the bench players were supporting the starting 11. That connection is amazing, is what we wanted, and the credit goes to the players,” he concluded.