Every international window brings focus on who was selected—and who wasn't. For Mauricio Pochettino's latest USMNT roster, the omission of Christian Pulisic stands out. Pochettino has avoided calling up players not fully fit; Pulisic is recovering from a bone bruise and microfracture suffered against Belgium and has played only two substitute appearances for AC Milan. Pochettino also wants to evaluate youth for the 2030 World Cup cycle, calling in 13 uncapped players, including 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan and Zavier Gozo.

Pochettino stressed the fresh start: "After the World Cup, we start to change and to see and to analyze all the players, potential player[s] for this camp." He added that the 28 players chosen are the best for this roster. He declined to explain individual omissions, saying it would take all day.

Pulisic isn't the only World Cup player left out; Timothy Weah has played every minute for Marseille but wasn't called. Still, Pulisic is the most prominent, and his relationship with Pochettino has appeared cool. During a Sept. 7 roundtable, Pochettino mentioned bad habits within the program that he wanted to address.