FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Christian Pulisic was left off the U.S. roster for the first games in coach Mauricio Pochettino’s second term, and 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan was among 13 newcomers picked Thursday and could become the youngest player for the American team in 20 years.
Yunus Musah, a 2022 World Cup veteran who hasn’t played for the Americans since March 2025, also was among 28 players selected for friendlies against Peru (Sept. 26 in Orlando, Florida), Chile (Sept. 29 in St. Louis), Mexico (Oct. 3 in Glendale, Arizona) and Canada (Oct. 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota).
Pulisic, the top U.S. player, failed to score during last summer’s World Cup when he missed one of the Americans’ five matches because of a calf injury and left two others early. Pulisic, who turns 28 on Friday, came off in the second half of the round of 16 loss to Belgium because of a microfracture of his right tibia and fibula and didn’t make his season debut for AC Milan until last weekend.
Sullivan, who made his Major League Soccer debut at 14 with Philadelphia in July 2024, will be two days shy of his 17th birthday when the Americans play Peru. He could become the youngest U.S. national team player since Freddy Adu debuted at 16 years, 234 days against Canada on Jan. 22, 2006.
Others who could debut include 17-year-old midfielders Adri Mehmeti and Mathis Albert; 18-year-old defenders Peyton Miller and Neil Pierre; 18-year-old forward Julian Hall; 19-year-old midfielder Zavier Gozo; 19-year-old forward Justin Ellis; 20-year-old goalkeeper Diego Kochen; 20-year-old right back Frankie Westfield; 20-year-old midfielders Cole Campbell and Brooklyn Raines; and 25-year-old goalkeeper Brian Schwake.
Two players have just one previous appearance: 22-year-old goalkeeper Chris Brady and 25-year-old defender George Campbell.
Just 13 players return from the 26-man World Cup roster: goalkeeper Matt Freese and Brady; defenders Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson and Austin Trusty; midfielders Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman; and forward Ricardo Pepi.
Folarin Balogun, who hasn’t played for Monaco this season after a possible transfer to Everton fell through, also was not included. Others from the World Cup roster who were dropped were goalkeeper Matt Turner; defenders Max Arfsten, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream and Joe Scally; midfielders Weston McKennie and Cristian Roldan; and forwards Brenden Aaronson, Tim Weah, Haji Wright and Alejandro Zendejas.
Twelve players are from Major League Soccer.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago), Matt Freese (New York City), Diego Kochen (Lyngby), Brian Schwake (Nashville).
Defenders: George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Peyton Miller (New England), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Frankie Westfield (Philadelphia).
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Zavier Gozo (Crystal Palace), Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Brooklyn Raines (New England), Gio Reyna (Strasbourg), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Cole Campbell (SV Elversberg), Justin Ellis (Orlando), Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia).
___
