GOAL looks at five key takeaways from Pochettino's January camp USMNT roster selections, which include 23 MLS players

The U.S. men's national team's January camp is often overlooked on face value and with good reason. Christian Pulisic isn't involved. There's no Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie or Ricardo Pepi, either. The roster for this camp was announced on Monday, and doesn't have a single European-based star in it, as is the norm for this annual gathering.

In reality, the USMNT's A-side won't gather again until the CONCACAF Nations League in March, leading some to dismiss this camp as less important. While it may not be seen as crucial for World Cup preparations, it is important in integrating new faces to the USMNT setup.

And that is, ultimately, the goal: to find two or three players that can contribute either on the road to 2026 or at the World Cup itself. That task is unique this time around, due to the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino. His blank slate applies to everyone, from 2022 World Cup veterans to rising MLS hopefuls looking to make an impact.

All 24 players in Pochettino's January squad will see this camp in the same manner: an opportunity.

There are plenty of players in this group with reason to believe they have a chance to make a case for themselves. There are positions up for grabs, both in January and over the next year. This camp could be the foundation. So, with that in mind, GOAL breaks down the big takeaways from the January camp roster.

Getty ImagesVets fighting for spots

This is Tim Ream's first January camp since 2011. Think of how much the USMNT has changed since then. And yet, here he is still involved, the most experienced of players leading the way in this initial camp of 2025.

With the focus now turning towards 2026, Ream is one of several veterans fighting for a place in the new regime. He has the benefit of having been involved under Mauricio Pochettino, who likes and respects Ream from their battles in the Premier League.

Miles Robinson, too, has experienced a fresh start under the new boss. Both will be looking to make their case in what is still a wide-open centerback battle. And then you have goalkeepere Zack Steffen, who is looking to make his own push towards 2026 after being part of Pochettino's initial camp.

But, for some other familiar faces, this is their chance to make a lasting impression on Pochettino. Walker Zimmerman is back in the team for the first time since 2023. Same for Jesus Ferreira. Both are clearly on the outside looking in at their positions, but things can change rather quickly in this line of work.

A good January could lead to a CONCACAF Nations League call-up and things just proceed from there. January can be about familiar faces but, particularly under a new coach, it's also about reintroducing some that are familiar to everyone but coach.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesNext step for Olympians

The Olympics last summer were a great showcase for some of the best young players in American soccer. Now, several of those players will look to take that next step.

Jack McGlynn, Patrick Schulte, Benjamin Cremaschi, and John Tolkin were all members of the squad that reached the quarterfinals in France last summer (as was Zimmerman but this isn't about him). All four have legitimate USMNT hopes and all four offer something in a position where they can conceivably make a World Cup squad.

McGlynn is a unique midfielder, one whose vision for the game is already spectacular at a young age. Concerns about his athleticism are real, but his passing and intelligence mitigate them a lot. Pochettino could fall in love with a player like McGlynn, who has the ball on a string at all times.

Cremaschi has had quite the life experience over the last year and a half, having gone from a rising Inter Miami homegrown academy product to Lionel Messi's teammate. A lot of weight was put on his shoulders after the Argentine's arrival and, despite some injury issues, he's largely handled it well. There's still a reason to want a bit more from him, but the young midfielder is getting there.

Tolkin, meanwhile, is one of several players fighting for a backup left-back spot. It's hard to see anyone unseating Antonee Robinson ahead of the World Cup, but there is definitely still a fight going on to be his understudy. Tolkin continues to make leaps with the New York Red Bulls, and he may not be there for long. If he can bring his MLS form to January camp, he could play himself into more U.S. squads this year.

And then Schulte. He's already a known commodity to Pochettino and is very much in the race to start in goal. With Matt Turner in Europe, he'll likely get his chance to start this time around.

All four were key pieces of the Olympic squad, and all four could take that leap under Pochettino. That begins in January.

IMAGNLuna's time to shine?

Diego Luna has a reason to feel a little bit hard done. He was left off the Olympic squad last summer, which led to rumblings of a potential switch to Mexico. That isn't happening, at least for now, as Luna will get his chance to shine.

Luna is a true throwback of a player, a mesmerizing creative attacker who can make crazy things happen with the ball. The game doesn't have as many of those anymore as the game has shifted more to pace, pressing, and athleticism. There isn't as much room in the sport for game breakers, and Luna is exactly that.

The 21-year-old broke out in 2024, winning MLS' Young Player of the Year award. With eight goals and 12 assists, Luna was so often the man pulling the strings for Real Salt Lake. He was seemingly motivated by that Olympic snub and, ultimately, that snub may turn into something of a blessing if he keeps letting it fuel his fire in the way he seemingly has.

Pochettino will surely look to find fun ways to use Luna. Argentina, Pochettino's home country, has long had an appreciation for players such as Luna, ones who can bend a game to their will with a pass or a shot at any moment. We'll see how much Pochettino appreciates the young attacker over the next few weeks as Luna looks to seize his long-awaited U.S. chance.

AFPGoalkeeper battle on full display

Determining who is the starting goalkeeper isn't just a January camp issue – the goalkeeping position is still a big question mark for Pochettino and the USMNT. There are several contenders in camp this January who hope they can be the answer.

Schulte s probably the best candidate to push for that No. 1 spot. The Columbus Crew goalkeeper has shown the potential to be an elite goalkeeper, having earned his place among MLS' best since breaking through. Just 23, Schulte still has a lot of development ahead. But he's already improved at an alarming rate.

Steffen is a familiar face, but one that had fallen out of the picture over the last few years. He missed the 2022 World Cup due to a lack of games and is determined to not let that happen this time around. Now starting for the Colorado Rapids, he didn't have a perfect year in MLS, but his Leagues Cup run showed flashes of that goalkeeper who was the USMNT No. 1 for a while during the 2022 cycle.

Matt Freese, meanwhile, is a new face, but was quite possibly the best goalkeeper in MLS last season with NYCFC. Inter Miami's Drake Callender has been invited to a few USMNT camps but hasn't been capped yet. He has plenty of MLS experience and plays in a pressure-filled situation in MLS's most followed team in Inter Miami. He will have no issue pushing the other three for a spot as he seemed close to last year.

There are spots up for grabs, both as a starter and as backups, and it's very possible we see one or multiple of these shot-stoppers on the World Cup squad in 2026.