ORLANDO, Fla. – The topic of age has resurfaced a few times this week with the U.S. Men’s National Team as head coach Mauricio Pochettino called in a dozen players, the youngest being 16 years old, into the first senior National Team camp of their professional careers.
Even the head coach himself referenced his 54 years at his press conference before training at Inter.co Stadium on Friday morning:
“Teniendo cincuenta años,” he said in his native Spanish, before adding cheekily in English, “Plus.”
The injection of youth with seasoned veterans like midfielder Tyler Adams and fullback Antonee Robinson, the most capped players on the roster with 58 apiece, has created an exciting dynamic in the opening days at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Fayette County, Ga.
Pochettino described the first days of camp as “energetic,” even going so far to say “you feel younger” after talking to some of the players. First-time call-ups are looking to make the most of their opportunity in front of the program’s winningest manager in FIFA World Cup history. Meanwhile, the 13 veterans who played for Pochettino this summer, aim to set the example of a team that won Group D and advanced to the Round of 16 this summer.
“It’s amazing to have those players on board,” Pochettino said. “First of all because they have talent. They are showing real talent. They have an amazing capacity and quality. The energy was amazing. It’s very contagious, that energy.”
Antonee Robinson (left), Tyler Adams (center), Sebastian Berhalter (right) prior to Friday's training session at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando, Fla. (Photo by Taylor Banner/U.S. Soccer)
This fall camp is the first for Pochettino after signing a new contract over the summer that will keep him as head coach of the USMNT through 2030. The new contract means Pochettino, who originally joined U.S. Soccer in September 2024, less than two years ahead of the World Cup, will experience his first full World Cup cycle.
For that reason, Pochettino has described this next phase as a “fresh start” and that he doesn’t see his job the same way as his first two years in charge. This time, he has four years to work with – a chance to evaluate and develop the player pool more thoroughly with the 2030 FIFA World Cup serving as the ultimate goal.
“Talking and working with this group of players, that’s amazing for us, for the present and for the future,” he said.
Pochettino has worked with young players before during his time managing top-flight European clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, including England captain Harry Kane. Still, the National Team roster for the four upcoming matches in September and October is one of the least experienced in the program’s recent history. Thirteen players are uncapped, and the average age is 22 years and nine months.
Relatively, that puts players like 22-year-old defender Alex Freeman and 25-year-old midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who earned their first caps with the USMNT in 2025 then went on to make Pochettino’s World Cup roster, as two of the more experienced players in camp.
“It’s something that you take in stride,” Berhalter said earlier this week. “For us, it’s about our individual performances and making sure we're keeping the standard. It’s also showing everyone around us what it takes and what it means to be a part of this country and what it takes to play for the badge.”
“They need to learn that you come here, then you need to perform,” Freeman said of his advice to the less experienced players. “It’s not like you come here and your job’s finished, right? You need to be able to turn the heads of your teammates and, most importantly, Pochettino and the staff.”
Alex Freeman during training earlier this week at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Fayetteville, Georgia (Photo by: Taylor Banner/U.S. Soccer)
The respect between the senior and young players is a connection that Pochettino called “reciprocal.” Whether a player is looking to score his first goal or has already earned dozens of caps, both sides have shown mutual respect for the other.
When he announced the roster on Sept. 17, Pochettino said that he hoped the relationship between the two sides, the two types of players, would develop naturally. So far in camp, that seems to be unfolding just as Pochettino hoped.
“The mix between senior and young players is very organic and natural now after just a few days,” he said. “The younger players have shown tremendous respect to the senior players. They are humble enough to listen. But also, the senior players are so good in the way that they treat the young kids because they also show respect to them. When the respect is reciprocal, that is the best way to build an excellent relationship.”
For Pochettino, his relationship with the players is built on a personal foundation. He explained in his pre-match press conference that he enjoys having “more relaxed conversations” to get to know the players first – how they are, what they like, what they don’t like. Conversations like that can build trust and help him communicate more clearly what he needs out of each player.
What’s expected from them out of these next four games is that the players listen to the coaching staff and apply their best selves at training. Pochettino has said that, with four games, all 28 players are going to have the possibility to see minutes.
The first chance arrives Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET against Peru as the U.S. looks to kick off the next four-year cycle on a strong note.
“Now it’s up to us and our responsibility to keep supporting and helping them to be more mature and, of course, improve in the game, but we are so excited,” Pochettino said.
