Mauricio Pochettino has a USMNT roster dilemma, and the 2028 Olympics are making it more complicated

Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. men’s national team roster announcement is days away, but it comes with a complication tied to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Starting Nov. 9, senior squads will gather separately: Pochettino’s group for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals vs. Haiti, and Steve Cherundolo’s under-23s for an Olympics-oriented run-up. With Pochettino having already invited a dozen newcomers to senior camp six weeks ago, the main question is how many young prospects should be shifted toward Cherundolo’s long-term plan. Pochettino will weigh upcoming matches Nov. 14 in Miami and Nov. 17 in Cincinnati against Haiti. With players like Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, plus teens Justin Ellis and Julian Hall pushing cases, the selections could echo beyond these Nations League games.