Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino, the new head coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team, announced his first roster and emphasized that his team needs to play exciting and attractive soccer to captivate local fans.

"I believe soccer has to be thrilling for the American fan. They need to enjoy themselves every time they go to the stadium, and I think we have incredible players," he said during a video press conference. Pochettino highlighted that his team aims to be "protagonists" with the ball and dominate possession. However, he also stressed the need to find the "right balance" and be "desperate" and "strong" defensively to recover the ball quickly.

On Wednesday, the Argentinian coach revealed his roster for his first matches with the U.S. team, which are two friendlies: against Panama on October 12 in Austin, Texas, and against Mexico on October 15 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Christian Pulisic leads Pochettino's first call-up, though a few key players like Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna, and Sergiño Dest are missing due to injuries.

"Since the announcement (as the new coach), we started working on many things via Zoom and phone calls and, of course, by watching games," Pochettino explained, admitting he hasn't met his players in person recently except for a chance encounter with Antonee Robinson in London.

The coach also mentioned he just received his work visa on Monday after a "nightmare" bureaucratic process, and he's eager to kick off his project. "Every player on this list deserves the chance to be with us (...). I'm excited to see them all because they each have different qualities, and it's crucial to understand their personalities," he noted.

He also talked about fostering a "good atmosphere" in the team that prioritizes the collective over the individual and revealed he'll initially use the 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formations. Pochettino was announced on September 10 as the head coach, replacing Gregg Berhalter, and will lead the U.S. team as they prepare for the key event in 2026 when the U.S. will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada.