The change in midfield is with De La Torre, who became a consistent starter for Pochettino in the Gold Cup, providing not only decent defensive cover but also several final-third entry passes and spotting when it was wise to launch a long ball over the top.

The USMNT was perfect in the Gold Cup group stage, gutted out knockout-round wins over Costa Rica and Guatemala, before delivering an admirable, gritty performance -- considering the youth and inexperience of its squad -- in the narrow 2-1 final defeat to Mexico.

The U.S. men’s national team made a run to the Gold Cup final without its best roster. But with that 2-1 loss to rival Mexico, head coach Mauricio Pochettino will immediately shift his focus into forming a roster that can make noise at the 2026 World Cup.