Mauricio Pochettino named a U.S. national team roster for the September friendlies against South Korea and Japan that left out some familiar names and top emerging players.

That sparked short-term questions — how will the USA fare against a pair of Asian powers? — and long-term speculation about Pochettino's selection process heading toward the 2026 World Cup.

Big picture/Small picture issues

It is possible to examine this roster for both the short- and the long-term implications. Pochettino helped explain during Tuesday's media call with several key statements.

First, he quantified the USMNT player pool and said he was tracking 60-65 players on a weekly basis to monitor their progress.

Second, he said this was the last camp with the possibility of bringing in new faces (at least in

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