Mauricio Pochettino Doubles Down On Teenagers Cavan Sullivan And Julian Hall For Nations League

Seven young prospects with an average age of 18.1—including Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall, and Justin Ellis—retained their spots on the USMNT senior roster for the Nations League quarterfinals.

United States men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino officially unveiled his 25-man squad for the upcoming two-legged series against Haiti.

The roster announcement delivers a massive statement of intent from the Argentine manager.

Sullivan, Hall, and Ellis will be joined in camp by fellow emerging prospects Mathis Albert, Adri Mehmeti, Neil Pierre, and Diego Kochen.

All seven young players earned callbacks after thriving in a series of senior friendlies across September and October.

Their inclusion comes despite the availability of established European stars who missed out on the previous camp.

Furthermore, Pochettino selected these prospects even though a youth-specific Olympic training camp is running at the same time.

Pochettino made it clear that the senior national team takes priority over age-group tournaments when official results are on the line.

"We are playing now an official game [and] the priority always is for the first team," Pochettino said Wednesday.

"And because we all believe that if the players are involved with the first team, [there] is the possibility to keep growing and of course adding more experience — and good experience. It's easy."

THE TEENAGE PROSPECTS KEEPING THEIR PLACES

This international window represents the second gathering for the United States since the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Crucially, it is also the very first camp under Pochettino that will feature competitive, official fixtures.

Pochettino initially expanded his talent pool earlier in the autumn by bringing in roughly a dozen young players for friendly evaluation.

That experimental group helped secure four consecutive friendly wins during the September and October windows.

Julian Hall and Justin Ellis used those opportunities to make an extraordinary impression on the coaching staff.

Both attackers made their senior debuts in the prior camp and made an immediate impact on the score sheet.

Hall found the net three times during his introductory appearances.

Ellis proved equally sharp in front of goal by scoring twice in his limited minutes.

Cavan Sullivan continues to see his rapid ascent rewarded at the highest international level.

The playmaker will now share a senior camp roster with AC Milan star Christian Pulisic for the first time.

Mathis Albert and defender Neil Pierre also did enough during friendly play to convince Pochettino they belong in competitive matches.

Goalkeeper Diego Kochen rounds out the group of seven prospects who have firmly established themselves in the manager's plans.

Together, the retained group boasts an average age of just 18.1 years.

THE RICARDO PEPI SNUB AND STRIKER BALANCE

Pochettino's selection decisions quickly sparked heated debate across American soccer circles.

The most conspicuous absence from the 25-player list is PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi.

Pepi's omission left fans and pundits questioning why an established European goalscorer was overlooked for knockout games.

Pochettino directly addressed the striker situation when explaining his roster choices to the media.

The manager opted to call up Folarin Balogun alongside teenagers Hall and Ellis instead of Pepi.

"It's a great opportunity to keep helping him (Balogun) to evolve after a tough summer, after the World Cup," Pochettino explained.

The manager pointed to the peak physical condition of his younger forwards as a deciding factor.

"That is why I think the balance, because Justin and Julian, they are fully fit, I go a little bit ahead, that is why we didn't bring, even if we played a few minutes last week, Pepi, Ricardo."

Pochettino emphasized that long-term physical durability drove the decision to keep Pepi in the Netherlands.

"But I think in our way to see and assess the players, we decided much better to keep him training (with PSV) and establish himself being more solid in his fitness and be more confident to attack the future."

The Argentine coach noted that balancing incompletely fit forwards would have hindered the team dynamic.

"That is why we didn't want to bring both, because I think both are not 100%, but I think the combination in between Balogun, Ellis and Hall is perfect."

Balogun enters camp aiming to rediscover his rhythm following an unsettled club stretch.

The forward has struggled for playing time at AS Monaco this season after a deadline transfer to Everton collapsed late in the summer.

Even with limited club action, Balogun offers valuable senior pedigree with 12 goals across 31 caps for the United States.

"Yes, happy to see again Balogun because I think after the World Cup, we have the possibility to see and it's a great opportunity for him to keep improving his confidence," Pochettino added.

VETERANS RETURN TO ANCHOR THE ROSTER

While Pochettino has doubled down on teenagers, he has balanced the squad by recalling several cornerstone veterans.

Pulisic returns to the international stage for the first time since the World Cup.

Midfielder Weston McKennie is also back in the USMNT camp after missing the previous set of friendlies.

Defender Sergiño Dest has rejoined the squad after being among the regulars dropped to accommodate young prospects in early autumn.

Pochettino had previously set aside established regulars to test 13 uncapped players across the team's four friendly wins.

The veteran core remains formidable across the pitch.

Captain Tyler Adams returns after participating in the September-October international window.

Midfielders Malik Tillman, Gio Reyna, and Sebastian Berhalter have all maintained their roster spots.

The defensive line features experienced World Cup veterans Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, and Auston Trusty.

Defender Alex Freeman and goalkeeper Matt Freese also kept their places after impressing in recent friendlies.

FRESH FACES AND BIG-NAME OMISSIONS

Pochettino did not stop his experimentation with the returning teenage group.

The 25-man roster features two newly invited uncapped players looking to earn their first senior appearances.

Nashville SC defender Reed Baker-Whiting, 21, received his first senior national team call-up.

Midfielder Santiago Castañeda, 21, also earned his maiden camp invitation following his performances with German club SC Paderborn.

Defender Bryan Reynolds, 25, is seeking his first appearance in a United States jersey since 2023.

"Now it's a moment we need to add players to the roster to try to provide a good balance to the team," Pochettino explained.

The head coach stressed that these decisions form part of a broader vision for the 2030 World Cup cycle.