USMNT’s Latest Update to Already Controversial Roster Leaves Fans Debating Before Friendlies

“We are nine months away from the start of the World Cup on home soil,” began former USMNT star Charlie Davies, “and the coach is still experimenting, still familiarizing himself with the player pool and still ‘sending messages’ to players? Really?” Quite a harsh take on Mauricio Pochettino, but one that has kept the Argentine tactician under negative scrutiny for some time. And just when it seemed things might cool down, the situation has flared up again with the latest controversial update—leaving fans fiercely debating.

For those living under a rock, weeks ago, Poch announced his roster picks ahead of their September fixtures against South Korea and Japan on Saturday at Harrison, New Jersey and next Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio. Given how little time there is for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, out here is the 53-year-old appointed manager, calling fresh names and still trying to experiment with what can or cannot work for him.

Players like Weston McKennie, Haji Wright, and Joe Scally, along with Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, and Tanner Tessmann, were surprisingly omitted from the team. And just when one could think Mauricio might be done with his antics, the former Chelsea boss managed to pull off another controversial move surrounding his roster picks. Earlier today, it was confirmed that 2022 FIFA World Cup veteran Cristian Roldan has been called up to join the 24-player squad.

Having made only 37 appearances since his debut back in 2017, the 30-year-old midfielder is still waiting to break his goalscoring deadlock. Roldan has managed just three assists during that time. For those wondering why exactly he was called up, well, aside from being one of the more experienced names in the pool, the Seattle Sounders star has been putting in consistently solid performances in MLS.

Hence, it was only a matter of time before he came back onto the radar of Pochettino and his staff, eventually earning a call-up after two years, with his last appearance coming in the 2023 Gold Cup. Perhaps that alone explains why Roldan finds himself in the squad this time around. Still, from the looks of it, there’s plenty of uncertainty as the U.S. soccer community appears to be split, engaging in a heated debate since the news broke.

USMNT fans clash over latest roster decision!

Ardent supporters took to X to express their thoughts on the addition of Cristian Roland. Well, there are two sides to this debate. Hearing out the first one, their simple reaction to this decision is “Why? What A joke!” And mind you, their frustrations are quite valid, mainly due to the point echoed by Charlie Davies earlier; there’s no time to experiment.

With only four international windows left before the crucial tournament begins, time is already running out, and it seems Pochettino still hasn’t decided on his main team. No wonder one fan had had enough of it, questioning whether it might be time to reconsider their support for the Stars and Stripes: “How far can we keep regressing as a soccer country?? This is pathetic,” one wrote.

Another talking point is Pochettino’s reliance on MLS players, with 10 of the 24 squad members owning fewer than 10 caps. It echoes Landon Donovan’s criticism of the former Tottenham boss, who questioned why Aidan Morris was overlooked despite excelling for Middlesbrough in England’s Championship. Morris has put in three straight man-of-the-match displays and regularly starts ahead of Columbus Crew midfielders Sean Zawadzki and Sebastian Berhalter, not to mention he has always backed the USMNT coach, Mauricio Pochettino.

Yet, it was Zawadzki who got the call-up—a decision Donovan admitted he “cannot figure out,” given Morris’ current form and upside. Well, lucky you Landon, you aren’t alone as this fan echoed similar sentiment, saying, “Aidan Morris, Tanner Tessman, James Sands all available . Nope. Lets stretch even further down the Don Garber marketing bag of tricks and call up another mediocre player who plays in MidLS”

“This is straight up bizarre,” is how Landon Donovan summed up the current USMNT roster called up. Now here we have the former USMNT striker, still questioning and thinking for the sake of the American boys. On the other hand, a few have literally given up, as another netizen expressed his sadness saying, “I’m not even surprised anymore. I’m about to have to hate-watch my own team for a point to be proven.”

Now, coming to the fans who are actually pleased to see Cristian Roldan earn another chance with the national team. In their eyes, there’s just one sentiment: “This is an absolutely deserved call-up! Anyone who thinks otherwise hasn’t seen him play in the last three months!”

Not to mention, Pochettino himself had admitted earlier that his decision to bring in fresh names came down to a mix of factors — injuries, players starting preseason late, and others moving between clubs — all of which, he insists, are part of a larger, individualized plan for each player.

Even so, another supporter chimed in, saying: “The Roldan haters can complain all they want. He’s going to bring an intensity and determination that the USMNT has been needing. They need more people like him if they want to win games and not just impress chronically online weirdos.”

Well, let’s hope that’s the case, because for now, Mauricio Pochettino certainly isn’t earning any brownie points. For now, share your views in the comments below.