LINEUP NOTES
USMNT vs. Japan, presented by Allstate
International Friendly
Sept. 9, 2025
Lower.com Field; Columbus, Ohio
Pre-Game Coverage: 7 p.m. ET; TNT, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, Universo, HBO Max, Peacock
Radio: Westwood One, Fútbol de Primera
Social Media: @USMNT on X and Instagram; U.S. Soccer on Facebook, The U.S. Soccer App
Tonight’s USMNT Starting XI vs. Japan: 1-Matt Freese,3-Chris Richards, 4-Tyler Adams, 10-Christian Pulisic, 13-Tim Ream (Capt.), 15-Tristan Blackmon, 16-Alex Freeman, 17-Alex Zendejas, 18-Max Arfsten, 20-Folarin Balogun, 24-Cristian Roldan
Substitutes: 12-Jonathan Klinsmann, 2-Sergiño Dest, 5-Noahkai Banks, 6-Jack McGlynn, 7-Diego Luna, 8-Sebastian Berhalter, 9-Josh Sargent, 11-Damion Downs, 14-Luca de la Torre, 19-Nathan Harriel, 21-Tim Weah
- USMNT Starting XI Caps (including this match): Christian Pulisic (80), Tim Ream (77), Tyler Adams (52), Cristian Roldan (39), Chris Richards (33), Folarin Balogun (19), Alex Zendejas (13), Max Arfsten (12), Alex Freeman (9), Matt Freese (9)
- The Starting XI averages 30 caps and has an average age of 27 years, 118 days.
- Mauricio Pochettino makes five changes from the lineup that faced Korea Republic on Saturday, inserting Folarin Balogun, Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Cristian Roldan and Alex Zendejas.
- Striker Folarin Balogun and midfielder Cristian Roldan earn their first starts under Mauricio Pochettino. Balogun last started for the U.S. on Sept. 10, 2024 against New Zealand, while Roldan last started on July 2, 2023 against Trinidad and Tobago in the Concacaf Gold Cup.
- Tim Ream captains the USMNT for the 23rd time tonight, tying Thomas Dooley for ninth on the USMNT’s all-time captains list. The USA is 12W-7L-3D when Ream wears the armband.
- Max Arfsten will start where he plies his club football for Columbus Crew. Arfsten debuted for the USMNT in January and has collected 12 caps for the National Team this year.
- Both Tyler Adams and Chris Richards collect their 10th cap of 2025. Richards earns double-digit appearances in a year for the first time, while Adams does it for the third time and first since 2022.
- Goalkeeper Matt Freese collects his ninth appearance, all of which have come in 2025. Freese is 4W-3L-1D in his eight previous matches with the USMNT.
- Christian Pulisic becomes the 30th player to reach 80 caps for the USMNT.
- After coming on as a substitute against Korea Republic, Alex Freeman starts his eighth match in nine total appearances for the USMNT.
- Defender Tristan Blackmon earns his second straight appearance after collecting his debut on Saturday against Korea Republic.
- The USMNT is 1W-2L-0D in three previous matches against Japan. The teams last met during a friendly on Sept. 23, 2022 in Dusseldorf, Germany – a 2-0 Japan win.