U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino picks the 23-player U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino picks the 23-player

USA vs. Panama: High-Stakes Showdown in the CONCACAF Nations League Semifinal

POCHETTINO SELECTS 23-PLAYER U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER  

USA Faces Panama in Semifinal on March 20 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles

U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino picks the 23-player roster for the 2025 Concacaf Nations League title.

The countdown is on! The U.S. Men’s National Team is set to take on Panama in a high-intensity CONCACAF Nations League semifinal clash on March 20 at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) at the iconic SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

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American soccer fans won’t want to miss the action, with the match streaming live on Paramount+ and Univision. And, of course, you can stay in the loop with real-time updates on Facebook, Twitter (@USMNT), Instagram (@USMNT), and the official U.S. Soccer App.

“This is a massive opportunity to win a trophy and that is our clear objective,” USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “We must continue to show our quality, our bravery and our commitment to each other. We have an important moment to represent our country and our supporters, and we are very excited for this opportunity.”

In the other semifinal, Mexico and Canada will compete in the March 23 championship showdown. Expectation is at an all-time high with the U.S. squad aiming for a record-breaking fourth consecutive CNL title. The team will begin assembling in Los Angeles on March 16, laser-focused on defending their crown and stepping closer to soccer glory.

Stay tuned to SoccerToday for all the latest updates, expert analysis, and behind-the-scenes coverage of this must-watch showdown!

POCHETTINO SELECTS 23-PLAYER U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER  

Roster of U.S. Men’s National Team by Position (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 30/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 49/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic/SCO; 18/0), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege/BEL; 1/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 17/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 67/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 23/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 50/4), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 19/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 4/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 42/2), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 18/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 3/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 58/11), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 31/8), Tanner Tessmann (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 6/0)

FORWARDS (6): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 2/2), Yunus Musah (AC Milan/ITA; 45/1), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 76/32), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 27/5), Timothy Weah (Juventus/ITA; 42/7), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 3/1)

Concacaf Nations League (CNL) VETS CALLED TO DUTY

The Concacaf Nations League has provided a platform for many USMNT players to showcase their talents and build experience. On this roster alone, 16 players have participated in at least one CNL Finals tournament, with six players having taken part in all three previous editions: Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, and Tim Weah.

The 2025 version includes six players who made the CNL Finals Best XI last year, highlighted by Gio Reyna’s Best Player honors and Matt Turner’s Best Goalkeeper award. Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, and Antonee Robinson also earned superlatives.

OCHETTINO SELECTS 23-PLAYER U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER  

SPRING FORWARD

Six MLS-based players who participated in the 2025 January Camp received the call for the March matches. Three players—Patrick Agyemang, Diego Luna, and Brian White—also took part in their first USMNT camp during a FIFA international window and for an official competition.

The annual January Camp has a long history of providing opportunities for MLS-based players to get an extended look from the coaching staff and make an impact. Dating back to 1999, 30 players who have debuted or earned their second cap during the USMNT’s first camp of a calendar year have made a FIFA World Cup roster. From the USA’s squad at Qatar 2022, nine players earned their first or second cap during a January camp match.

EYES ON THE BIG PRIZE

The USMNT is currently the only team to have lifted the CNL championship, having captured the title in the first three editions of the competition. In the 2021 Final against Mexico, following dramatic goals from Gio Reyna, Weston McKennie, and Christian Pulisic, substitute goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made the extra-time penalty stop on Andres Guardado to ensure the USA’s 3-2 win in the inaugural championship match.

In 2023, Christian Pulisic’s brace and Ricardo Pepi’s goal off the bench helped the USA to a 3-0 win against Mexico in the semifinal, before Chris Richards and Folarin Balogun each scored their first international goals off Gio Reyna assists to give the USA a 2-0 win against Canada in the final. Goalkeeper Matt Turner kept back-to-back clean sheets in the two matches.

The following year, the USMNT hoisted the Concacaf Nations League trophy for the third time following a 2-0 victory against Mexico at AT&T Stadium. Midfielders Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna provided the goals on either side of halftime and Matt Turner recorded his second-consecutive clean sheet in a CNL Final as the U.S. added another Dos A Ceroscoreline to the history of the rivalry.

USA VS. PANAMA On The Pitch

This will be the 29th all-time meeting between the USMNT and Panama and the 28th since 2004. Only Mexico (30 games) has been a more frequent opponent during that span. The USA holds an 18W-3L-7D advantage in the series, although the Marea Rojahave proved formidable of late, winning two of the last three meetings including group play during Copa America.

The USMNT has met Panama in a tournament setting 13 times, all but one during Concacaf Gold Cup play. In those matches, the U.S. holds a 6W-2L-5D advantage.

Panama is back in the CNL Finals for the second year in a row while having reached the 2023 Gold Cup Final.

ABOUT THE CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE

Created to maximize the quality, quantity, and frequency of competitive matches for all of Concacaf’s 41 Member Associations, the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League, which commenced last September, has a revamped format that includes more direct elimination matches that will qualify teams for continental summer competitions.

The 2024-25 CNL continues to be played in a three-League format (A, B, and C), with the region’s 41 men’s senior national teams distributed into the Leagues according to the results of the 2023-24 CNL.

The USA competed in League A, which was expanded to include 16 teams (up from 12), and a new quarterfinal round was created to deliver more direct elimination matches.

ROSTER NOTES

  • The roster’s average age will be 26 years, 20 days, as of the first day of training on March 17.
  • The squad has an average of 28 caps and 14 in official competition.
  • The 24 players represent clubs in nine different countries: England (5), USA (5), Italy (4), France (2), Germany (2), Scotland (2), Belgium (1), Canada (1), Spain (1).
  • Sixteen players have participated in at least one CNL Finals tournament, with six taking part in all three previous editions: Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, and Tim Weah.
  • Seven players earn their first call for a CNL Finals roster: Patrick Agyemang, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Marlon Fossey, Diego Luna, Patrick Schulte, Tanner Tessmann and Brian White.
  • Six MLS-based players return from the USMNT’s January Camp: Patrick Agyemang, Diego Luna, Tim Ream, Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen and Brian White.
  • Agyemang, Luna and White also participate in their first USMNT camp during a FIFA international window.
  • Midfielder Tyler Adams returns to the USMNT for the first time since Copa América 2024. Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Gio Reyna join him in their first camps under Mauricio Pochettino.
  • Midfielder Tyler Adams returns to the USMNT for the first time since Copa América 2024. He is joined by Cameron Carter-Vickers, Marlon Fossey and Gio Reyna in their first camps under Mauricio Pochettino.
  • Matt Turner will become the sixth USMNT goalkeeper to reach 50 caps with his next appearance.
  • Weston McKennie leads all USMNT players with 16 Nations League appearances and six goals. Each is a joint-leading scorer in the competition, along with Christian Pulisic.
  • With four goals in six appearances, Pulisic is the USA’s joint-leading scorer against Panama, alongside Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Eddie Johnson.
  • Josh Sargent has been on an absolute tear for Norwich, tallying eight goals in his last eight matches.
  • McKennie, Robinson and Sargent have all had spells wearing the captain’s armband for their respective clubs.
  • Adams and Sargent were named February Player of the Month for their clubs, while Pulisic earned that honor in January. Pulisic is also a candidate for February’s Serie A Player of the Month.
  • Fifteen players are products of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, with 12 produced by MLS Academies: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Diego Luna (San Jose Earthquakes, Barca Academy), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union), Christian Pulisic (PA Classics), Gio Reyna (New York City FC), Chris Richards (FC Dallas), Josh Sargent (St. Louis-Scott Gallagher), Joe Scally (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Saint Louis FC), Zach Steffen (FC DELCO, Philadelphia Union), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union), Tim Weah (New York Red Bulls), Brian White (Players Development Academy).

Source: Press Release from U.S. Soccer

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