For the most part, Gregg Berhalter knows who he will take to Qatar for the World Cup in November. Barring injuries, his U.S. men’s national soccer team will include the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams. Many of the other 20-plus slots are largely set, as well.
But with six months until the tournament opener in Doha, Berhalter indicated through his roster selections Friday for an approaching camp and four matches that he has left the door open to long-lost candidates while continuing to strengthen bonds among his regulars.
The 27-man delegation for the next-to-last in-season gathering before the World Cup includes forward Haji Wright, defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, and midfielders Djordje Mihailovic and Malik Tillman.
“There is a core group we are building and we are developing,” Berhalter said. “But around the edges, there is room. If a guy is in form, I can expect him to make a case to be on the roster.”
Wright and Carter-Vickers haven’t been invited to the U.S. team since 2019 but are coming off strong seasons in Europe. Mihailovic last appeared in late 2020.
Wright, 24, has a golden opportunity to help fill a scoring void after none of Berhalter’s strikers took command of the striker position through the 14-game qualifying schedule. He was a regular with the youth national teams but has never appeared in a senior match.
After playing for clubs in Germany, Netherlands and Denmark, Wright hit his stride this season for Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig, scoring in seven consecutive matches this spring to surge into the league scoring race with 14 overall.
“We always talk about trying to capitalize on guys’ form,” Berhalter said, “and now is the perfect time to get him back in the group.”
Carter-Vickers, 24, helped Celtic win the Scottish Premiership title. Mihailovic, 23, has posted six goals and four assists for CF Montreal after recording four goals and 16 assists last year.
Tillman, a 19-year-old dual national from Bayern Munich, chose to switch his affiliation to the United States after playing for Germany’s under-21 squad. He’s awaiting approval from FIFA, the sport’s global governing body.
If that occurs soon, he could play in these upcoming matches. If not, he would be limited to practice only.
Tillman spent most of the season with Bayern’s second team, scoring four goals in the fourth division, but also appeared in seven first-team matches, including two UEFA Champions League games.
The Americans will host two friendlies against World Cup-bound teams — Morocco on June 1 in Cincinnati and Uruguay on June 5 in Kansas City, Kan. — then play mandatory Concacaf Nations League matches against Grenada on June 10 in Austin and at El Salvador on June 14.
The only other official match window before the World Cup is in late September, when Berhalter will gather the squad in Europe for friendlies against Asian teams to be announced. (European sides aren’t available because of the Nations League schedule.)
Notable absences from Friday’s roster announcement include right back Sergiño Dest, attacker Gio Reyna and center back Chris Richards, who are recovering from injuries; and center back Miles Robinson, sidelined indefinitely with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.
Also, striker Ricardo Pepi was given time off after a scoreless five months with Augsburg in the Bundesliga; European-based forward Josh Sargent and Jordan Pefok are battling injury; and center back John Brooks, a 2014 World Cup veteran, remains out of favor with Berhalter.
Berhalter said he is eager to evaluate Brooks with his new club — he’s leaving Wolfsburg this summer — before considering him for the September camp.
With two regular center backs in camp and two others seeking to make an impression, Berhalter said, “We didn’t think there would be enough game-time to get a guy like John Brooks on the field.”
On May 4, Berhalter had told The Washington Post that, for this camp, he preferred to evaluate some less experienced players instead of summoning some with whom he is already familiar.
Among his selections was McKennie, a U.S. mainstay who has resumed training with Italian club Juventus after breaking his foot this winter. Though the midfielder last played a competitive match Feb. 22, Berhalter is hoping McKennie can play limited minutes in the first two matches next month and start one of the final two.
Notes: The program received a boost Friday when Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, 18, chose the United States over Poland for international soccer. He wasn’t chosen for this camp, but “we see a very promising future for him,” Berhalter said.
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution).
Defenders: George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld), Reggie Cannon (Boavista), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Joe Scally (Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC).
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Luca de la Torre (Heracles), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Djordje Mihailovic (CF Montreal), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Malik Tillman (Bayern Munich).
Forwards: Brenden Aaronson (RB Salzburg), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor).
