Christian Pulisic, the talented 26-year-old, is among the five USMNT players who have bid adieu to their international duties early and flown back to their respective club sides. Pulisic, who plies his trade for AC Milan, is being released back to his club for load management purposes. This decision comes on the heels of a hectic period where Pulisic logged significant playing time both for his club and at the international level. However, he did manage to feature for 67 minutes in the USMNT’s recent 2-0 victory over Panama.
Joining Pulisic in the early return to their clubs are Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), and Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids). These players are set to undergo further evaluation and treatment for minor injuries they sustained. In a surprising turn of events, no additional players have been called up to fill the void left by these departures.
Among the quartet, Pepi was the sole player to see action against Panama. The young striker found the back of the net in added time, securing Mauricio Pochettino’s side a comfortable victory. On the other hand, McKennie had to settle for a place on the bench as an unused substitute.
Pochettino, the USMNT coach, emphasized the importance of prioritizing the players’ well-being and maintaining good relationships with their respective clubs. “As we have said, we are always going to make decisions that are in the best interest of our players and respect the relationship we have with their clubs,” stated Pochettino.
With the departure of these five players, the remaining 20 members of the USMNT squad will now embark on a journey to Guadalajara for a rare friendly match against Mexico.
The USMNT squad comprises of a talented mix of players across different positions. The goalkeepers Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), and Matt Turner (Crystal Palace) will look to provide stability at the back. In defense, players like Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), and Auston Trusty (Celtic) will be tasked with thwarting the opposition’s attacks.
On the attacking front, the forwards Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey), Haji Wright (Coventry City), and Alex Zendejas (Club America) will aim to make an impact with their flair and creativity.
It remains to be seen how the USMNT will fare without the services of Pulisic and the other early departures in their showdown against Mexico. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting clash between two footballing powerhouses.
