U.S. national team coach Gregg Berhalter has announced a squad rich in Major League Soccer (MLS) talent for the upcoming friendlies in January. The traditional pre-season camp will be dominated by domestic players, with 26 of the 28-man squad plying their trade in the MLS.
Among the selected players, standout names include San Jose Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski, LA Galaxy defender Daniel Steres, and FC Dallas teenager Ricardo Pepi. Pepi, along with fellow teenagers David Ochoa and Cole Bassett, shows the youth emphasis in Berhalter’s selections.
“This training camp represents the start of a new cycle,” Berhalter said. “We want to begin to establish our style of play and bring together a group of players that will form the foundation of our work this year.”
There are, however, some omissions from the team. Star players such as Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, who both play in Europe, have been left out. Berhalter explained this strategic decision, citing the scheduling conflicts between the camp and European football leagues.
“We recognized the challenges of calling in European-based players for this camp,” Berhalter stated, “With the congested fixture list in Europe, releasing players for this camp becomes incredibly difficult.”
The upcoming friendlies serve a key purpose as preparation for the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, set for late 2022. The United States currently sits in third place in their group, trailing Mexico and Canada.
“These matches and the entire year are critical,” Berhalter emphasized, “Our goal is to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
Last modified: January 7, 2025
