Christian Pulisic will once again be the face of the USMNT as they gear up for October friendlies against Ecuador and New Zealand. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino continues shaping his roster with the 2026 World Cup in mind, and this month’s squad sees the return of key players from both Serie A and the Premier League.
2025 has been an uneven year for the USMNT, who hold a 14-game record of eight wins and six defeats. The struggles include a Gold Cup final loss to Mexico and a 2–0 defeat to South Korea, though they bounced back with a 2–0 win over Japan in September. For this window, Pochettino has refreshed his 26-man squad with notable changes.
Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson headline the returning names. McKennie, the Juventus midfielder, is back after missing several international windows, while Robinson rejoins the squad after recovering from offseason knee surgery. Their presence adds experience and depth in crucial areas of the pitch.
McKennie’s absence has been one of the biggest storylines in recent months. He missed the Gold Cup due to his participation in the FIFA Club World Cup with Juventus and also sat out the June and September windows. His last USMNT appearance came during the CONCACAF Nations League Finals, where the team finished fourth after losses to Panama and Canada.
USMNT’s squad list for October’s international break.
Robinson, meanwhile, enjoyed a standout season with Fulham, finishing as the Premier League defender with the most goal involvements thanks to 10 assists. His last appearance for the national team came in November 2024 during the Nations League quarterfinals against Jamaica. Since then, he has missed 14 matches through injury and coaching decisions.
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The USMNT will face Ecuador on October 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin before taking on Australia on October 14 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado. Both opponents have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, offering the US a valuable benchmark as they continue building toward the tournament.
Pulisic in top form for USMNT return
After a frustrating summer that saw him miss the Gold Cup amid controversy with Pochettino, Christian Pulisic enters this window in the best form of his career. The AC Milan winger has fully recovered from injury and has hit the ground running in Serie A.
Pulisic has scored six goals and provided two assists in seven appearances across Serie A and the Coppa Italia. With Milan preparing to face Juventus this weekend, he not only leads the league in goals but has helped the Rossoneri climb to the top of the table with 12 points, level with Napoli and Roma. His red-hot form raises expectations for what he can deliver with the national team in October.
