A seven-time champion of the tournament, placing them only behind Mexico (12), the United States already knows who their opponents will be during the group stage of the next edition of the Gold Cup: Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saudi Arabia (invited). A tournament where the United States, after their disappointing CONCACAF Nations League, has a lot at stake a year before the 2026 World Cup… but they will be significantly affected by the Club World Cup.

Three Key Players Will Miss the Gold Cup with the United States

The opening match of the Gold Cup will take place on June 14 at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The same date that the first edition of the FIFA Club World Cup will kick off, which will conclude on July 13. That is, one week later than the Gold Cup (June 6), which will begin at the NRG Stadium in Texas. This situation will undoubtedly prevent Mauricio Pochettino from having several of his best players.

Undoubtedly, this is a problem that also affects teams like Mexico or Canada. However, the case of the United States is particularly sensitive because they will not be able to rely on two players who are currently starters under Igor Tudor at Juventus, like Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie. Additionally, Gio Reyna might also miss the Gold Cup, as he is expected to attend the Club World Cup with Borussia Dortmund, unless a transfer is agreed before then due to his lack of opportunities at the Signal Iduna Park.

Pochettino’s Job Is on the Line with a Weakened Squad

In addition to these three players, a key figure in the left-back position like Antonee Robinson could also be missing, as he has started attracting attention from top clubs after his great season at Fulham. Among them, Chelsea and Manchester City, the two representatives from the Premier League in a Club World Cup that, remember, will open a transfer window prior to the tournament to allow clubs to sign players.

In principle, despite other important players in midfield like Johnny Cardoso (Betis) or Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) potentially changing teams this summer, they should still be available for the United States at the Gold Cup. However, this will still leave Mauricio Pochettino with a significantly weakened squad, as he is playing for his future as the United States head coach just a year before the World Cup.