USMNT watch: Who's rising and falling in advance of November camp?

But Tessmann isn't alone in rocking the USMNT midfield: Seattle Sounders star Cristian Roldan is right there with him. No one in the USMNT lineup splits opinion quite like Roldan does. 

For fans of Major League Soccer, he's one of the most well-rounded midfielders of his generation; for MLS skeptics, he's a jack of all trades and a master of none. Pochettino has made no mistake about where he falls on that debate. 

"Cristian Roldan is an example of how if you want to build your perfect player, he has a little bit of everything," he said after Roldan's two-assist performance against Australia in October.

While Tessmann and Roldan have risen steadily over the course of 2025, Leeds United winger Brenden Aaronson and Juventus utility man Weston McKennie have rebounded dramatically from poor showings in the spring. Both were outside of Pochettino's plans at the beginning of the year; both are making strong cases for their inclusion now.

Aaronson brings a unique spark-plug energy to the field, particularly as a substitute, and is having one of his best seasons in recent memory with Leeds in the Premier League. And McKennie? The one-time poster boy for the USMNT's lack of commitment is fitter, faster and more impactful than he's ever been, and he's gone from receiving Pochettino's ire to earning his respect. 

“What I want to provide [Weston] is the freedom,” Pochettino said. “He’s a player that needs freedom.”

Which USMNT players are falling? 

Poor Josh Sargent never really took his chances, did he? The Norwich City striker had a strong start to his 2025-26 season, but he struggled to perform with the USMNT in its September camp and was dropped from the roster altogether the following month. With Balogun staking his claim on the starting striker position and Coventry's Haji Wright right behind him, it looks like Sargent's World Cup journey might end before it begins.

No player has fallen further in 2025, though, than Atalanta midfielder Yunus Musah. Once considered a lock for the World Cup starting 11, Musah isn't even a lock for his club team's starting 11 anymore. With precious few USMNT camps left between now and the World Cup, he's likely to become the team's highest-profile cut.

The USMNT will return to action on Nov. 15 against Paraguay in Chester, P.A.