Blend of World Cup Veterans and Seven Potential Debutants Assembled as the USA Seeks its Eighth Confederation Championship Title
ATLANTA / HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, June 5, 2025) – Real Salt Lake star Diego Luna has been named by U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino amongst the 26 players selected for the upcoming 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup roster. The U.S. team will play two friendlies – Sat., June 7 and Tues., June 10 – prior to traveling to San Jose, Calif., in preparation for its opening match of Gold Cup group play on Sun., June 15 against Trinidad and Tobago.
Luna – RSL’s leading 2025 scorer with eight goals and four assists this season, equaling his goal output from last year in half as many MLS matches – reported on June 1 to Chicago to start preparation for the summer, with Luna departing for camp directly from RSL’s Austin/LA Galaxy road trip last week. Luna will miss Real Salt Lake’s upcoming June 14 home match against D.C. United (7:30p MT kickoff at America First Field; tickets available via www.RSL.com/tickets), with the Club honoring former USMNT great and legendary goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
Luna earned the game-winning assist earlier this year during his first 45 minutes played under Pochettino, suffering a shattered nose in the process, during a January friendly against Costa Rica. During the CONCACAF Nations League consolation match, Luna was bright and assertive against Canada, as the 2024 MLS All-Star selection and reigning MLS Young Player of the Year continues to press for 2026 FIFA World Cup inclusion.
“We are extremely excited to work with this group of players and compete for the championship,” Pochettino said. “Of course our priority is to win the tournament and to show the right mentality and approach, and we are confident these players will take advantage of the opportunity.”
The USMNT opens Group D play on Sun., June 15 when it faces Trinidad and Tobago at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. (6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. MT). Four days later, the U.S. faces Saudi Arabia at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas (9:15 p.m. ET / 7:15 p.m. MT) on Thurs., June 19, then concluding the group stage against Haiti at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. MT) on Sun., June 22.
Nearly one year before the start of the World Cup on home soil, the USA will first host Türkiye this Sat., June 7 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET / 1:30p MT, with the match broadcast live on TNT, truTV, and Telemundo Deportes and streamed on Max, Universo, and Peacock. [TICKETS]
Three days later, the Coca-Cola Send Off Match pits the USA against Switzerland in the final game before the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. The match will be played at GEODIS Park in Nashville, Tenn. on Tues., June 10. Kickoff is 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT) on TNT, truTV, Max, Universo, and Peacock. [TICKETS]
Both matches will be carried live on radio as Westwood One Sports delivers English language commentary on USMNT matches for the first time while longtime partner Fútbol de Primera has the Spanish language call.
Fans can follow the USMNT on X (@USMNT), Instagram (@USMNT), Facebook and the official U.S. Soccer App.
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY
This year’s edition of the Gold Cup represents the USA’s final participation in an official competition ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Alongside Canada and Mexico, the three host countries for the World Cup receive automatic entries. The USMNT will seek its eighth confederation championship trophy, having won the inaugural tournament in 1991, before being crowned regional champion again in 2002, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2021.
The 18th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup is set to take place this summer across 14 stadiums in 11 metropolitan areas in the United States and Canada. The tournament will feature 16 men's national teams, including 15 from CONCACAF and Saudi Arabia (guest nation). The final will be held on Sunday, July 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston, marking the first time the Gold Cup Final will be played in the state of Texas.
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (4): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 0/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 51/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Alex Freeman (Orlando City; 0/0), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 19/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 68/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 24/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 32/3), John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel/GER; 4/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 43/3)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 47/8); Tyler Adams (Bournemouth/ENG; 44/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 0/0), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 18/0), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC; 24/1), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 4/0), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo; 4/1), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; 0/0); Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 17/0)
FORWARDS (5): Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht/NED; 1/0), Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 4/3), Damion Downs (FC Köln/GER; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 4/1), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 15/4)
CAMPEONES!
Chris Richards and Matt Turner joined former USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard as the only U.S. internationals to win the prestigious FA Cup in England. Crystal Palace defeated powerhouse Manchester City in the Final at famed Wembley Stadium in London last Saturday.
Malik Tillman is a Dutch Eredivisie champion once again with PSV Eindhoven, the club having a remarkable late season surge capped off by a victory on the final matchday to capture their second straight title.
Brenden Aaronson had his best season in England, helping propel Leeds United to the top spot in the English League Championship and a return to the Premier League.
Meantime, 20-year-old striker Damion Downs tied for the team scoring lead as FC Köln finished first in the league and will be back in the German Bundesliga next season.
PLENTY OF FIREPOWER
The U.S. roster boasts loads of attacking talent. With eight goals in 10 matches, Vancouver Whitecaps striker Brian White is tied for third in the MLS Golden Boot race, while Diego Luna sits one behind with eight goals in 13 appearances this season for Real Salt Lake.
Veteran attacker Brenden Aaronson pocketed nine goals and two assists in 46 matches, while first-time call-up Damion Downs tallied 10 goals in 29 matches.
Striker Haji Wright collected 12 goals and one assist in 29 matches as Coventry City fell just short of Premier League promotion.
Malik Tillman finished second on the scoring charts for PSV, tallying 12 goals including the insurance strike in the 3-1 win away to Sparta Rotterdam on the final match day to secure PSV’s championship title.
Meanwhile, first-time call-up Quinn Sullivan’s seven assists in 14 matches for the Philadelphia Union places him tied for second league wide.
FRESH FACES
The roster features four exciting young prospects who are receiving their first call-ups: defenders Alex Freeman and Quinn Sullivan, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and forward Damion Downs.
Freeman is the son of former Green Packers All-Pro wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman. Sebastian Berhalter has been one of the MVP performers for Vancouver Whitecaps in leading them to the Concacaf Champions Cup final, which included back-to-back victories against Inter Miami in the semifinal. Downs, a dual national of Germany and the United States, grew up playing football in Texas before moving to Germany.
BROTHERS ON AND OFF THE PITCH
Brenden and Paxten Aaronson are the ninth of 10 sets of brothers ever capped by the United States and have a shot at their own unique bit of history. The Medford, N.J., natives are the first to share a place on a Gold Cup roster, and a joint appearance would mark just the second time in USMNT history that brothers stepped on the field together in official competition. The first instance was James and Russell Murphy, who played together in two World Cup qualifiers against Canada in 1957.
ROSTER NOTES
- The roster will hold an average age of 25 years, 119 days as of the opening match of the Gold Cup on June 15 against Trinidad and Tobago. It is the third youngest USMNT roster at the start of the Gold Cup, behind 2021 (24 years, 335 days) and 2023 (25 years, 20 days).
- The roster averages 16 caps and eight in official competition.
- Five players have previous Gold Cup experience: Matt Turner; (10 caps; 2021, 2023 Gold Cups), Tim Ream (9 caps; 2011, 2015, 2019), Miles Robinson (9 caps; 2021, 2023), Walker Zimmerman (6 caps; 2019, 2021), John Tolkin (2 caps; 2023).
- Twenty-one players will make their confederation championship debut
- The roster features seven uncapped players: goalkeepers Chris Brady and Matt Freese, defenders Alex Freeman and Nathan Harriel, midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Quinn Sullivan, and forward Damion Downs.
- Fifteen players represent 11 different Major League Soccer clubs. Charlotte FC, Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps provide two players each, along with one each from Chicago Fire, FC Cincinnati, Houston Dynamo, New York City FC, Orlando City, Real Salt Lake and San Diego FC.
- Eleven players come from European clubs, with five from England, two each from Germany and Netherlands, and one apiece from France and Spain.
- With 10 goals in 12 matches, Vancouver Whitecaps striker Brian White sits tied for third in the MLS Golden Boot race, while Diego Luna sits one behind with seven goals in 13 appearances this season.
- Veteran attacker Brenden Aaronson pocketed nine goals and two assists in 46 matches to help Leeds United book its return to the Premier League for next season.
- First-time call-up Damion Downs tallied 10 goals in 29 matches to help FC Köln re-gain promotion to the German Bundesliga.
- Striker Haji Wright collected 12 goals and one assist in 29 matches as Coventry City fell just short of Premier League promotion.
- Meanwhile first-time call-up Quinn Sullivan’s seven assists in 17 matches positions him tied for second league wide.
- Miles Robinson memorably scored the game-winner in extra time to defeat Mexico 1-0 in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Final. Goalkeeper Matt Turner backstopped the USMNT throughout that tournament, earning one of his six career Gold Cup shutouts in the 2021 Final.
- Eighteen players took part in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, with 14 coming through the MLS Academy ranks: Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union), Paxten Aaronson (Philadelphia Union), Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Max Arfsten (Cal Odyssey), Sebastian Berhalter (Columbus Crew), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Luca de la Torre (Nomads, San Diego Surf), Alex Freeman (Weston FC, Orlando City), Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union, Clearwater Chargers), Diego Luna (San Jose Earthquakes, Barcelona Residency), Jack McGlynn (BW Gottschee, Philadelphia Union), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union), Chris Richards (FC Dallas), Miles Robinson (FC Boston Bolts), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Brian White (Players Development Academy) and Haji Wright (LA Galaxy).
