GOAL looks at five newcomers who could use the January camp as a springboard for the U.S. men's national team
Mauricio Pochettino has officially announced his 2025 January Camp roster that will compete in a pair of international friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica, with a handful of new faces looking to make an impact under the Argentine ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
There are veterans and familiar faces, though, too. 2024 Paris Olympics overage duo Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman were selected, as was mainstay senior defender Tim Ream and 2022 FIFA World Cup participant Shaq Moore. The goalkeeping pool consists of a few regulars, too, with Patrick Schulte, Zack Steffen and Drake Callender all joined by newcomer Matt Freese.
However, in the midfield four new faces have emerged in Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Emeka Eneli, and Benjamin Cremaschi – with three total caps combined between the four of them.
Up top, Jesus Ferreira is the lone experienced attacker, while Charlotte FC teenage star Patrick Agyemang earned his first call-up, along with CF Montreal's Caden Clark, Chicago Fire's Brian Gutierrez, St. Louis CITY's Indiana Vassilev, free agent Matko Miljevic and one-time capped Vancouver Whitecaps forward Brian White.
Pochettino's first-choice senior team – with the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson – is nearly set in stone. However, the contributors behind those stars have not yet been concretely determined. GOAL takes a look at five newcomers from this roster who could make an impact over the next year.
IMGANBenjamin Cremaschi, Inter Miami
Arguably the most exciting midfielder on the roster, Cremaschi has everything it takes to reach the top. A regular contributor at South Beach with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, he's learned and trained alongside the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner since his arrival in MLS, while plying his trade as a central and attacking midfielder.
The youngest selection on the USMNT's 2024 Paris Olympics roster, Cremaschi has long been on the USMNT's radar – with this his second camp. His first call-up came in September 2023, where he made his international debut. But this camp presents him with an opportunity to be a key player in the U.S. midfield.
Fantastic in transition, mobile in the middle of the pitch an unafraid to go into challenges, Cremaschi is a versatile midfielder who can play in an attacking-minded role or as a box-to-box midfielder with a high work rate. He began the 2024 season on the sideline due to a sports hernia and underwent surgery. But he returned to the pitch to earn 12 starts in 22 appearances, scoring four goals and recording three assists.
Under Pochettino, the 19-year-old could provide size in the middle of the pitch, while offering a unique play style focused on transition, possession and dribbling in tight spaces.
AdvertisementIMAGNDiego Luna, Real Salt Lake
Luna, a dual-national for Mexico and the U.S., could be a coup for Pochettino if he commits to the program going forward. The MLS Young Player of the Year in 2024, Luna shined brightly for Real Salt Lake after a brilliant campaign on the wing and in the attacking midfield under the leadership of Pablo Mastroeni.
The 21-year-old scored eight goals and recorded 12 assists as RSL finished third in the Western Conference, earning a playoff berth. He started 26 times while making 31 appearances for the club across the regular season, being one of MLS' best attackers in 2024.
What makes his inclusion important, is Luna was not selected for the the USMNT's Paris Olympics roster, but instead included as an alternate – a role he turned down. He went on record saying he was not committed to representing the U.S., and would be open to a call-up from Mexico. This camp could be key.
Luna can play as a left wing or as an attacking midfielder, areas in which the USMNT need depth. In addition, Luna has a style that no other attacker on the USMNT offers. A proper "old-school" winger, Luna is unafraid of anything on the pitch.
He constantly finds himself taking defenders on, or trying cheeky skill moves that have disappeared from the modern game. A fantastic and tidy attacker in tight spaces, he flourishes in wide areas, or on an inverted run across the 18-yeard-box. Under Pochettino, he could be the perfect understudy to Pulisic, or if the Milan star is moved to the center of the pitch, he could play off him.
Jack McGlynn, Philadelphia Union
A crucial part of the USMNT's 2024 Paris Olympics squad, McGlynn put together his most productive season since debuting for the Philadelphia Union in 2021, scoring four goals and recording seven assists in 30 games in 2024.
Ranked third in MLS' 22-Under-22 in 2024, the central midfielder is one of MLS' brightest prospects at the moment – and is perhaps the next star to break into Pochettino's midfield. Touted with a move abroad ahead of the 2025 MLS campaign, McGlynn is a brilliant box-to-box midfielder who possesses immense quality on the ball and has a stunning eye for a through ball.
With an impressive first-team trio of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams, among others, there's no clear spot in the XI for McGlynn, but he should be looked at as a contributor ahead of 2026.
Getty Images SportMatt Freese, NYCFC
If there is one position in which the USMNT lacks confidence heading into 2026, it's goalkeeper – and Freese is absolutely somebody who should be in contention.
Stupendous for NYCFC in 2024, he was an MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalist, and one of the top performers as they found themselves in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He started all 34 regular season matches for the club, conceding 45 goals while earning six cleansheets. With a struggling defense ahead of him, he stood on his head all campaign, making 121 saves while recording a save percentage of 72.9 percent.
Named the club's 2024 MVP, he has rightly earned his first call-up to the USMNT – and could seize the opportunity.
Crystal Palace goalkeeper Matt Turner is the USMNT's No. 1 at the moment, but can't even sniff the grass at the Premier League side. Without regular minutes, there are questions as to whether he can lead the program growing forward. His backup, fellow January camp call-up Schulte, is also in contention – but all three spots in the goalkeeper pool are actively up for grab, with no firm starting shotstopper.
January will be a chance for Freese to compete with Schulte, as well as fellow U.S. internationals Steffen and Callender.