Tim Weah returns: USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino names squad for Nations League quarters

Mauricio Pochettino on Sunday named a 25-player roster for his first two competitive matches as head coach of the United States men's national team.

AC Milan star Christian Pulisic highlights the squad, which also includes fellow lineup locks Weston McKennie and Tim Weah. Injuries prevented McKennie and Weah from appearing in last month's friendlies against Panama and Mexico, which the USMNT split to cap Pochettino's first camp at the helm of the U.S. program.

"It's a great opportunity to see some new players," the Argentine told reporters on a Zoom call shortly after the announcement. 

The Americans will meet Jamaica this month in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. The first game of the two-leg, home-and-home, total-goals-wins series is on Thursday in Kingston, the Jamaican capital. The decisive rematch against the Reggae Boyz is on Nov. 16 in St. Louis, Missouri, with a place in next spring's semis on the line.

The full USMNT roster for November is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Diego Kochen, Barcelona Atlètic (Spain); Patrick Schulte, Columbus Crew (MLS); Zack Steffen, Colorado Rapids (MLS); Matt Turner, Crystal Palace (England)

Defenders: Mark McKenzie, Toulouse (France); Tim Ream, Charlotte FC (MLS); Chris Richards, Crystal Palace ; Antonee "Jedi" Robinson, Fulham (England); Miles Robinson, Cincinnati (MLS); Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany); Auston Trusty, Celtic (Scotland)

Midfiedlers: Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United (England); Gianluca Busio, Venezia (Italy); Johnny Cardoso, Real Betis (Spain); Weston McKennie, Juventus (Italy); Aidan Morris, Middlesbrough (England); Yunus Musah, AC Milan (Italy); Tanner Tessmann, Lyon (France); Malik Tillman, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) 

Forwards: Cade Cowell, Guadalajara (Mexico); Ricardo Pepi, PSV Eindhoven; Christian Pulisic, AC Milan; Brandon Vázquez, Monterrey (Mexico); Timothy Weah, Juventus; Alex Zendejas, Club América (Mexico)

Center back Chris Richards returns after missing the October window with a hamstring ailment. Central midfielder Johnny Cardoso also returns; he and Weah were on Pochettino's initial call-up list last month before being forced to withdraw.

All three late additions to the October squad — midfielder Tanner Tessmann and Liga MX duo Brandon Vázquez and Alex Zendejas. Cade Cowell, another Mexican-based forward, was also summoned this month. Cowell has five goals in 12 league appearances for Chivas this season.

Tyler Adams, the U.S. captain at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, was left out despite making his first start of the European club campaign for England's Bournemouth in Saturday's Premier League loss to Brentford. Adams, who has missed most of the last two seasons following hamstring and back surgeries, has logged just 100 minutes for the Cherries this term. 

"I consider him, personally, a very important player for the future of this team," Pochettino said of Adams. "But at the same time, we know very well that we need to look after him if we want to have him in the best condition for 2026" when the World Cup will be co-hosted by the U.S. along with Canada and Mexico. 

Attacker Gio Reyna remains sidelined by the groin injury he suffered in training with the USMNT in September. Starting right back Sergiño Dest (ACL tear) is out until early next year.  

Six players who were part of Pochettino's October camp were also omitted. That list included injured strikers Folarin Balogun and Josh Sargent; Marlon Fossey and fellow reserve fullback Kristoffer Lund, who recently lost his starting job with Palermo in Italy's Serie B; keeper Ethan Horvath, now the No. 2 at Welsh club Cardiff City; and Coventry City winger/striker Haji Wright, who scored his seventh goal of the season on Saturday in the English second tier before being substituted with an injury.

[We're] disappointed that Haji, Sargent and, of course, Balogun can't be part of the squad," Pochettino said. "It opens an opportunity for maybe another player to have more minutes." 

Without Fossey and Lund, the U.S. has just two natural outside backs available in Jedi Robinson and Joe Scally. Pochettino noted that several Americans can be deployed there in a pinch, though, including midfielder Yunus Musah. Musah was deployed as a right wingback in AC Milan's Champions League upset of Real Madrid last week. 

Weah also has high-level experience as a fullback, though won't be unavailable for the opener in Kingston. The versatile Juventus winger will serve the second game of his suspension for the red card he received in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América.

The U.S., which beat the Reggae Boyz in the 2023-24 Nations Leagues semis, is aiming for a fourth straight tournament title. The final four of the 2024-25 competition will be contested next March.

The American players will convene in Orlando, Florida starting on Sunday before traveling to the Caribbean island on Wednesday.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. A staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he has covered United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.