Opportunity Window: New Faces Push Forward as USMNT Depth Gets Tested

Seven months from a home World Cup, the U.S. men’s national team finds itself in an odd but revealing moment.

The core group that hauled the program out of the 2018 failure to qualify isn’t close to full strength. Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Antonee Robinson, Tim Weah, Yunus Musah, Chris Richards and others are all missing from this November window against Paraguay and Uruguay.

But that absence has created exactly what Mauricio Pochettino keeps preaching: real competition, real pressure, and the clear understanding that no place on the 2026 roster is safe. Veteran defender Tim Ream summed it up this week, saying players are “desperate” to be part of this group and a World Cup on home soil.

So this camp, with matches against Paraguay at Subaru Park, Uruguay in Tampa to close out the year, is less about who isn't here and more about who is. And one of the most intriguing position battles, in goal, is one nobody expected to be wide open when Pochettino first took the job.

Matt Freese wasn’t supposed to be the U.S. No. 1 this deep into the World Cup cycle. A former Philadelphia Union homegrown, he spent years behind Jamaica star Andre Blake before finally earning a full-time starting role after his move to NYCFC.

Since Matt Turner’s last USMNT appearance, Freese has started every match and is doing everything he can to hold onto a job few imagined would be up for grabs. Turner — brilliant in MLS before his move to Europe — saw his form dip as club minutes disappeared, opening the door for a challenger. Now back in MLS with New England on loan from Lyon, he’s chasing a moving target: Freese has grown into the role at precisely the right time.

This camp brings competition in the form of Columbus’ Patrick Schulte, Cincinnati’s Roman Celentano and Cesena’s Jonathan Klinsmann. But for now, Freese has emerged as the expected starter — a surprising development in a position many assumed would remain unchanged from 2022.

Two other players who weren’t expected to be central to 2026 preparations, Max Arfsten and Cristian Roldan, have played their way into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans through sheer performance and persistence.

Arfsten’s rise is one of the most unlikely stories in the current player pool. At 16, he was playing high school soccer in Fresno and hoping for a Division I scholarship. He landed at UC Davis, worked his way into MLS Next Pro with San Jose’s reserves, and when the Earthquakes declined to sign him to an MLS deal, he entered the SuperDraft and landed with Columbus. Under Wilfried Nancy, he developed into a dynamic fullback/wingback with real attacking punch.

He began 2025 with zero caps. Less than a year later, he’s become a regular presence in the squad, still fueled by the underdog mentality that carried him from local Fresno parks to international football.

Roldan shares that same edge, and it has powered one of the most impressive returns to the USMNT in recent years. After drifting out of the picture, he transformed his game as a deeper midfielder for Seattle and delivered eye-opening performances at the Club World Cup, holding his own against Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid and Botafogo. He followed that by helping lead the Sounders past Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup final, prompting Pochettino to bring him back into the fold.

In October, he delivered two assists against Australia and earned significant public praise from his manager. Whether he starts or not, Roldan brings experience, maturity and a strong voice — qualities Pochettino values as he tries to build a winning culture.

Both Arfsten and Roldan may fly under the radar compared to the European-based stars, but their impact is growing. In a World Cup year, they could become vital pieces of the squad heading into 2026.

Freese, Arfsten, and Roldan all take another step in their World Cup push tonight as the USMNT faces Paraguay. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. ET, with coverage on TNT, Telemundo, Universo, and streaming on HBO Max and Peacock.