Story bySteven GoffContributing writerMon, March 2, 2026 at 5:14 AM UTC·8 min readSince its launch 30 years ago, Major League Soccer has made substantial contributions to the U. S. World Cup effort. The number of players invited to the carnival has varied with each four-year cycle, and with coach Mauricio Pochettino less than three months from naming the 26-man roster, several candidates from the home circuit are again well-positioned to make the cut. Throughout his tenure, Pochettino has said adamantly that MLS employment would not handicap anyone and performance for both country and club, irrespective of the league, would help determine selections. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe majority of the World Cup squad will come from European leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands because, after all, that’s where most of the best Americans work. So where does the MLS legion stand?Since making his international debut last June, New York City goalkeeper Matt Freese has solidified his hold atop the depth chart by starting — and largely playing well — the last 12 matches of 2025.
