The United States readies for the CONCACAF Nations League quarter‑finals, but the squad lists several high‑profile gaps, surprise inclusions and returning stars. Pulisic and McKennie are back, while Pepi is omitted.
PSV striker Ricardo Pepi will skip another USMNT camp, as Pochettino opts to let him fully recover at his club.
We felt it was wiser to keep Pepi training at PSV and rebuild his fitness. Bringing both him and Balogun wasn’t viable since neither is at full strength, Pochettino told reporters.
Pochettino said calling both Flo Balogun and Ricardo Pepi wasn’t sensible because neither is 100% fit, so he chose to let Pepi stay at PSV while Balogun joins the squad.
Yunus Musah and Tim Weah also miss the cut. Musah has started four of AC Milan’s last five matches, and Weah’s omission is startling after his October goal and two assists for Marseille. In my view, leaving out Weah hurts the team’s attacking depth.
Which other USMNT players will be missing when they face Haiti?
Cole Campbell drops out as forward after Monaco’s Balogun returns from injury. The Elversberg forward scored in his latest outing but logged only ten minutes and has been a bench option in his last three games.
Midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who plays for Atlético Madrid, remains sidelined with a thigh problem, making him unavailable for the upcoming internationals.
Goalkeeper Matt Turner, a former 2022 World Cup starter with Premier League experience, is another notable absentee. Pochettino prefers Matt Freese, Diego Kochen and Brian Schwake between the posts.
Right‑back Joe Scally of Borussia Mönchengladbach, a regular starter for the German side, is also omitted from the November squad against Haiti.
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