Berhalter Calls 26 Players For Matches Against Mexico And Uruguay

CHICAGO (Aug. 28, 2019) – U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter has called up 26 players in advance of the upcoming matches against Mexico and Uruguay. Players will begin reporting Sept. 1 to New Jersey.

The region’s fiercest rivalry resumes for the 70^th edition of USA-Mexico, presented by AT&T, on Friday, Sept. 6 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (8:30 p.m. ET; FS1, Univision, TUDN). Four days later, the USMNG returns to the soccer hotbed of St. Louis to take on No. 5-ranked Uruguay on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at Busch Stadium (8 p.m. ET; FS1, Univision, TUDN).

These are the USA’s final matches before the start of the Concacaf Nations League, a tournament that will help determine qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

“Along the lines of progress, the starting point for the roster is we’re able to maintain a core group of main players from the Gold Cup and continue building. We are also bringing some new players into the fold that we feel have the potential to make an impact with this team,” Berhalter said.“

U.S. MNT ROSTER BY POSITION (Club; Caps/Goals):

GOALKEEPERS (4): Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas; 0/0), Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC; 60/0), Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 8/0), Zack Steffen (Fortuna Düsseldorf/GER; 15/0)

DEFENDERS (9): John Brooks (Wolfsburg/GER; 37/3), Reggie Cannon (FC Dallas; 6/0), Sergiño Dest (Ajax/NED; 0/0), Nick Lima (San Jose Earthquakes; 7/0), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 11/2), Daniel Lovitz (Montreal Impact/CAN; 8/0),) Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 35/1), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United FC; 0/0), Walker Zimmerman (LAFC; 10/2)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 9/2), Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 14/3), Alfredo Morales (Fortuna Düsseldorf/GER; 13/0), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas; 0/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 15/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 19/0), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 1/0)

FORWARDS (6): Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake; 3/0), Tyler Boyd (Besiktas/TUR; 5/2), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 33/5), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea/ENG; 31/13), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 7/2), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC; 51/10)

BUILDING BLOCKS IN PLACE

The roster features 15 players from the USA’s runner-up squad at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup that registered four straight shutouts in the tournament and finished with a +13 goal differential. Zack Steffen has four clean sheets in nine appearances for the USMNT in 2019, while Chelsea-based forward Christian Pulisic is tied with Gyasi Zardes for the team lead in goals with four a piece. In total, the U.S. has 11 different goal scorers in the 12 matches since January, the team having posted an overall 8-3-1 record.

BACK IN THE MIX

A number of familiar faces return to the fold, making their debut appearances since Berhalter took the reins. A veteran of two FIFA World Cups and 60 caps to his credit, goalkeeper Brad Guzan returns to the USMNT for the first time since November 2018. The 34-year-old leads all MLS goalkeepers with 12 clean sheets in 2019. Meantime, Alfredo Morales also returns to the USMNT for the first time since a 3-1 friendly win against Puerto Rico on May 22, 2016. A teammate of Steffen’s in Dusseldorf, the 29-year-old midfielder scored his first goal of the young Bundesliga season in the team’s 3-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Aug. 24.

Also back from the Bundesliga are 2014 FIFA World Cup veteran John Brooks and Werder Bremen striker Josh Sargent. The 19-year-old attacker is a native of St. Louis and will have a chance to play in front of friends and family against Uruguay.

MOVING UP THE RANKS

Two players from the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup are getting their first sniff at the senior team level, with Berhalter calling on defender Sergiño Dest and midfielder Paxton Pomykal. Joining a long history of children of American servicemen overseas, the Dutch born Dest is earning minutes with the first team at Ajax, last year’s semifinalists in the UEFA Champions League. A product of the FC Dallas Academy, Pomykal has started 20 games in MLS this season, by far the most of his four-year career, tallying two goals and five assists.

ROSTER NOTES

• As of Sept. 1, the roster will have an average age of 25 years, 47 days and 15 caps.

• Twenty-one players have been part of at least one camp in 2019.

• The roster features 15 players from the USA’s runner-up squad at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup.

• A veteran of two FIFA World Cups and 60 caps to his credit, goalkeeper Brad Guzan returns to the USMNT for the first time since November 2018. The 34-year-old leads all MLS goalkeepers with 12 clean sheets in 2019.

• Alfredo Morales also returns to the USMNT for the first time since a 3-1 friendly win against Puerto Rico on May 22, 2016. The 29-year-old midfielder scored his first goal of the season for Fortuna Düsseldorf in the team’s 3-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Aug. 24.

• Part of the U.S. team that that ran to the quarterfinals of this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland, defender Sergiño Dest and midfielder Paxton Pomykal join Atlanta United FC center back Miles Robinson in their first USMNT camps.

• The trio joins goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez in looking for their first caps during the September camp.

• Dest is the third player born in the new millennium to be called to a USMNT camp, following Josh Sargent and Tim Weah.

• Now a Chelsea player, attacker Christian Pulisic has collected two assists in four competitive appearances for the English Premier League side this season.

• Having bagged 11 goals for Columbus Crew SC in 2019, forward Gyasi Zardes tops the MLS goal scoring chart among U.S.-based players.

• Eight players are age-eligible for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo: Cannon, Dest, McKennie, Pomykal, Pulisic, Robinson, Sargent and Yueill.

• 15 players have previous experience against Mexico, with 10 having played against El Trí in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup Final.

• Forward Jordan Morris is the only player on the roster to have scored against Mexico, tallying his first international goal in a 2-0 win on April 15, 2015 in San Antonio.

• Goalkeeper Sean Johnson (New York City FC) and defender Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls) will have the chance to represent the National Team nearby where they play their club ball at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Sept. 6.

• Likewise, defender Tim Ream (St. Louis) and forward Josh Sargent (O’Fallon, Mo.) will have the chance to play for the National Team in their hometown on Sept. 10 vs. Uruguay.

• Ream previously represented the USA in Busch Stadium in a 6-1 World Cup Qualifying win against St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Nov. 13, 2015.