On May 26, U.S. men’s national team manager Maurico Pochettino will step out at Pier 17 along the East River in Manhattan and announce his 26-man World Cup squad, a team that will be charged with representing the country on home soil.Since his arrival to U.S. Soccer in September 2024, Pochettino has been intent to remake the culture around the national team. He wanted to redefine how players thought about call-ups. He believed it critical to root out complacency and entitlement, making every player on the roster treasure the opportunity to put on the crest.The ultimate prize to those who bought in: the chance to be part of this summer’s World Cup.It has not been an easy path. Pochettino has used 71 players over nine international windows. He found a group of players at the Gold Cup in 2025, including new faces like Diego Luna, Max Arfsten and Matt Freese, all of whom have featured regularly since. He has challenged the “star” core of this national team — like 2022 World Cup veterans Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Tim Weah — to fight for their places.The hope is that it all comes together when the opening whistle blows on June 12 at SoFi Stadium.Pochettino’s approach means it’s not so easy to pick a 26. Yes, there are quite a few players who seem like ‘locks.’ But the science of putting together a roster weighs a number of factors, from positional balance to locker room chemistry. One decision in one position group can have a ripple effect that impacts the others.Our writers have taken a shot at predicting Pochettino’s final squad below. This represents our best guess as to what Pochettino would do, not what we would pick if we sat in his chair. None of these projected rosters are the same, a sign of the guessing game still taking place with just a few days left until the team is announced.Zavier Gozo’s top international experience to date came at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, pictured here playing against France. Might a shock 2026 World Cup call be in the cards? (Javier Torres / AFP / Getty Images)Paul Tenorio’s USMNT World Cup squad prediction