Mauricio Pochettino announced his U.S. men’s national team squad for November, and it’s fair to say there are a number of intriguing talking points.

In contrast to the September-October window, when he called up 28 players, Pochettino has gone with three fewer representatives this time around, which will be whittled down to 23. Of those players, two have never played for the USMNT before and they’ll be looking to make their debuts in the upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti in Cincinnati and Miami.

“Haiti is going to be tough; we already played them in Dallas in the Gold Cup and it was a really tough game,” Pochettino said. “Concacaf teams are improving a lot because of the good coaches and the players who have the facilities to improve and be more professional. It’s going to be a tough two games; we know Haiti’s physicality and quality, and it’s important to show them respect.”

So, which players were called up for the USMNT, and what else did Pochettino say in his press conference? Let’s take a look..

Balancing Concacaf Nations League and Olympics

Right back into it in Red White & Blue. 🇺🇸

Mauricio Pochettino has called in 25 players for our November camp and pair of @CNationsLeague quarterfinal matches against Haiti!#USMNT x @ouraring pic.twitter.com/qwZu0R9J23

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 4, 2026

While the previous window prioritized experimenting with young talents, Pochettino shifted his focus in November, with young talents like Zavier Gozo, Brooklyn Raines, Chris Brady, Peyton Miller, Cole Campbell, Damion Downs and Frankie Westfield missing out.

They are all expected to join Steve Cherundolo’s U-23 squad as part of their Olympic preparations for LA 2028. However, there are still various young talents who, despite being eligible for the Olympics, have returned to the senior team.

“It’s always a coordination between the first team, U-23s and U-18s, the communication is always there, and I think the priority is always the first team,” Pochettino said. “We need to add players to the roster to try and provide a good balance to the team and ensure that we can compete at our best and win games.

“At the same time, we also need to develop and help these young players grow, and it’s a great opportunity to mix younger players with more experienced players.”

Blending Youth and Experience

He’s played just once in Borussia Dortmund’s last 11 matches, but that hasn’t stopped Pochettino from calling up Mathis Albert. Having played in all four of last month’s friendlies, scoring against Peru, the 17-year-old offers much-needed pace for a USMNT side that had just one natural winger (Tim Weah) in their World Cup squad.

“He’s a player with a quality that isn’t easy to find. He’s one of the U.S.’s most talented players, and even if he isn’t playing too much at Dortmund, if he’s fully fit, he’s capable of bringing something different to the national team,” Pochettino said.

“We are convinced that giving him the opportunity to be with us will help him recover his confidence and have the possibility to play more in the future. He’s young, and he’s going to be one of the important players for our future, and it’s the moment to trust and believe in him.

“It’s important to always add new ideas, new ways to perform, new ways to create different patterns with the ball. The roster provides a very good possibility to try different things, and the most important thing is the chemistry. It’s the first time that Christian [Pulisic] will be with Mathis and [Weston] McKennie with Cavan [Sullivan], so we need to see their chemistry on and off the field. It’s a great opportunity to provide a good balance and test the feelings between them."

Folarin Balogun Is Back

Folarin Balogun kicked off November by ending a four-month goal drought, having last found the net against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a match that saw him sent off and subsequently embroiled in an international scandal. After a tumultuous summer that saw his Deadline Day move to Everton collapse and his starting spot slip away at Monaco, Balogun is finally back in the USMNT fold.

“It’s a great opportunity to keep helping Balo evolve after a tough summer,” Pochettino said. “Justin [Ellis] and Julian [Hall] are fit, so that’s why I didn’t call up Ricardo Pepi, even though he played a few minutes last week. We decided it was much better for him to keep training and establish himself and be more fit and confident.

“We didn’t want to bring both because they’re not 100%, but I think the combination between Ellis, Hall and Balogun is perfect. I’m happy to see Balo again, and it’s a great opportunity for his confidence to keep improving."

Trio of Newcomers

Pochettino has already worked with 75 different players as USMNT manager, and this month will make it 78. Santiago Castañeda and Reed Baker-Whiting are set to make their senior debuts, while Bryan Reynolds is back for the first time since 2023.

“It’s very important to have more options, more players who can challenge the familiar faces, and it’s a very good chance for Reid, Santiago and Bryan because they are performing and they deserve to be with us,” Pochettino said.

“It’s a very good camp to give them these opportunities; the national team is open, we are following over 100 players, plenty who haven’t had the chance to play, so it’s important to test them in official games.”

Preparing for the Gold Cup

MEXICO GOES BACK-TO-BACK! 🇲🇽

El Tri defeats the USMNT 2-1 in the Gold Cup Final 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Ag3s1YVbWX

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2025

Pochettino has his eyes set on beating Haiti, but he’s also keeping the 2027 Gold Cup in the back of his mind. Last time out, Pochettino lost in the Gold Cup final with a second-string roster due to a number of major absentees like Pulisic and McKennie, and he’ll be hoping to have a stronger squad at his disposal this time.

“The most important thing is this camp and showing respect to Haiti. We must beat them in order to reach the final four in March. It’s going to be important in the way that we are working, so that we’ll have more clear ideas about how we will arrive at the Gold Cup,” Pochettino said.

“Of course, it’s going to be different from 2025 because it’s three years away from the World Cup. The circumstances have changed, and that’s why we’re going about it in a different way. It’s important to add players who weren’t with us and have better knowledge of what we have in our hands.”

Cautiously Optimistic for George Campbell

George Campbell has become West Bromwich Albion’s defensive linchpin, and it’s why he received his first call-up in the previous window, playing against Peru and Canada. But after going off with a groin injury in Wednesday’s draw vs. Southampton, it remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to make the trip across the Atlantic.

“We are waiting for more information, and if he’s not available, we will consider bringing other options,” Pochettino confirmed. “We have time, and we should receive information today or tomorrow, and once we hear from their medical staff, we will make the decision.”

Julian Hall Destined for Stardom

As opposed to last month’s friendlies, Pochettino has the chance to cap-tie several dual nationals like Castañeda, Sullivan, Albert, Ellis, Diego Kochen, Neil Pierre and Adri Mehmeti. However, arguably none will play a bigger role in this window than teenage striker Julian Hall, who has been pursued by both the USMNT and Poland.

“For me, he’s a player who fully deserves it after his performance in the last four games. There’s no doubt that he can repeat being in the roster, so we can give him the chance to play,” Pochettino said of Hall.

“He was expecting to play for the U.S. badge, which is what counts for us. The most important thing is his commitment, and he can be very important for our present and future. He deserves to be in the roster and that’s why we’ve called him.”

Gio Reyna Raring to Go

In contrast to other World Cup substitutes like Brenden Aaronson, Joe Scally, Mark McKenzie, Matt Turner and Max Arfsten, Gio Reyna hasn’t been snubbed. Instead, after being the only USMNT player to start all four matches in the previous window, he’s set for major minutes against Haiti.

“It’s really important [for him] to start regularly at Strasbourg. When he wasn’t playing regularly, he was important, but now, he’s building his confidence and fitness, which is important for a player like Gio,” Pochettino said.

“We are so happy; he was amazing in the last camp, and he’ll keep growing with more opportunities. It’s really important that he keeps playing at Strasbourg.”