Chelsea midfielder Christian Pulisic and Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen headline the United States’ 23-player roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League Final Four.
The Premier League pair will take part in the Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final for their respective clubs, but will both miss the USMNT’s friendly against Switzerland on Sunday as a result.
– USMNT Big Board: Pulisic first on the plane to Qatar
– U.S. Soccer parting ways with MLS-owned SUM
The U.S. will face Honduras on June 3, and if it prevails in that match will move on to the final set for June 6. If the U.S. falls to the Catrachos, it will take part in a third-place game that same day.
“We are excited to gather this group together as we compete to win the Nations League trophy,” USMNT manager Berhalter said. “It’s been a great year for our player pool and the unprecedented successes of winning multiple league and cup championships. Our focus now becomes continuing this success with the national team.”
With New York Red Bulls defender Aaron Long recuperating from surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, plenty of eyes are on the complement of center backs. In addition to Wolfsburg’s John Brooks, Anderlecht’s Matt Miazga, Genk‘s Mark McKenzie and Fulham‘s Tim Ream been called in, leaving Nashville SC‘s Walker Zimmerman as the odd player out.
Also not included is forward Daryl Dike, who recently returned to Orlando City SC after completing his loan at English Championship side Barnsley.
The roster is heavily weighted towards Europe-based players with only four of the 23 based in Major League Soccer. Of those overseas players, nine made at least 30 appearances in a European top-flight league this season.
In terms of trophies won, nine players won a total of 12 trophies this season, a group that includes: Brenden Aaronson (Austrian League and Cup), Sergino Dest (Spanish Copa del Rey), Ethan Horvath (Belgian First Division A), Weston McKennie (Super Coppa Italiana, Coppa Italia), McKenzie (Belgian Cup), Giovanni Reyna (German DFB-Pokal), Jordan Siebatcheu (Swiss Super League), Steffen (English Premier League, English League Cup) and Tim Weah (French Ligue 1).
Detailed Roster by Position (Club/Country; Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/BEL; 4/0), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Zack Steffen (Manchester City/ENG; 21/0)
DEFENDERS (8): John Brooks (Wolfsburg/GER; 40/3), Reggie Cannon (Boavista/POR; 14/0), Sergino Dest (Barcelona/ESP; 7/1), Mark McKenzie (Genk/BEL; 2/0), Matt Miazga (Anderlecht/BEL; 21/1), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 42/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 10/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray/TUR; 62/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 27/2), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig/GER; 12/1), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 20/6), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 21/6), Yunus Musah (Valencia/ESP; 4/0), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 9/0)
FORWARDS: (6): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg/AUT; 4/2), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 15/9), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 4/2), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 13/5), Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys/SUI; 2/0), Tim Weah (Lille/FRA; 10/1)