Sleepless Nights, Group Chats and Big Decisions: Inside Poch’s Roster Selection

Sleepless Nights, Group Chats and Big Decisions: Inside Poch’s Roster Selection

Author: US Soccer | Cumulus Podcast Network May 27, 2026 Duration: 26:00
It’s finally here! This week, the US Men’s National Team World Cup roster was officially announced. These 26 players will carry the hopes and dreams of a nation. On this episode U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, host Meghan Klingenberg sits down with USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino to talk about how it felt to tell the players they made the team, what goes into building and roster, and what characteristics knit this group together. And that’s not all! Kling also introduces a new segment all about USMNT fandom, history, and supporter lore. It’s called ‘Soccer Bestie’.  1:57 – Mauricio join the show  4:02 – How Mauricio shared the news with players  5:43 – Sleepless nights  8:41 – One word to describe the team 12:00 – The Soccer Bestie segment  20:42 – Winning Starts at Home with Ali Hall  23:14 – Ask the Pros presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts    Coming soon to Los Angeles is U.S. Soccer House presented by Bank of America, a fan-first space where fans of all ages can gather, celebrate, and support the U.S. Men’s National Team. Located one block from the shores of Venice Beach, the U.S. Soccer House presented by Bank of America will bring the energy of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup to life from June 11-26. Access is free for all U.S. Soccer Insiders. Register to be an Insider today and learn more here.  Host: Meghan Klingenberg  Guests: Mauricio Pochettino, Ingrid Nilsen  Producer: Matthew Nelson  To learn more, visit http://www.ussoccer.com/podcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each week, the U.S. Soccer Podcast opens up a direct line to the individuals shaping the sport across the country. Host David Gass guides these Wednesday conversations, which are less about formal interviews and more about genuine discussions with coaches, staff, and players from every corner of the American game. You’ll hear from figures connected to the senior national teams, of course, but the dialogue consistently extends to the youth setups and the broader ecosystem dedicated to development. This approach provides a unique, ground-level perspective on the efforts to advance soccer in the United States. These are honest and often uplifting chats that go beyond scores and tactics to reveal the personal stories and professional philosophies driving progress. Tuning into this podcast means getting a clearer sense of the people behind the programs, from emerging talents to the seasoned minds guiding them. It’s an ongoing series of conversations that collectively map out the present and future of U.S. soccer, delivered through a partnership between U.S. Soccer and the Cumulus Podcast Network with support from Henkel.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

U.S. Soccer Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Behind the Scenes of U.S. Against the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:34
This week on the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, host Meghan Klingenberg speaks to the creative team behind U.S. Against the World: Four Years with the Men’s National Soccer Team. Director Rand Getlin and Execut…
Live in Portland! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:56
This week on the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, we’re live in Portland! Host Meghan Klingenberg caught up with former teammates Becky Sauerbrunn, Bella Bixby and Morgan Weaver. In front of a packed crowd, the g…
Sip Happens: World Cup Hydration Breaks Explained [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:15
Last year, FIFA announced that every World Cup game will pause for three minutes in each half for a hydration break. The policy was tested in the last international window, and many observers said that the breaks have fu…
Kling Goes to Referee Camp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:22
World Cup winner Meghan Klingenberg played soccer at the highest level, but can she cut it as a referee? Find out on this special episode of the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, when Kling embeds at National Matc…
Jaedyn Shaw talks family, food, and fashion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:15
Jaedyn Shaw made history when she became the first Vietnamese American to represent the USWNT. In 2022 the forward was named US Soccer’s young female player of the year. And despite being just 21 years old, she’s already…
Meet cerebral palsy soccer legend Adam Ballou [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:44
Adam Ballou first started kicking a soccer ball when he was just 3-years old. And after that, he never looked back: Adam was first called into the U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team when he was 14. Since then t…
Jozy Altidore: From the pitch to the pitch deck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:32
In his storied USMNT career, forward Jozy Altidore earned over 100 caps and appeared at two World Cups. Jozy scored his first professional goal at just 16 and this knack for finding the net sent him around Europe’s top l…
Tobin Heath: Prodigy, Artist, Architect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:23
They called you Tobin Heath the ‘Queen of the Nutmeg’ because throughout the forward’s storied soccer career she left defenders trailing in her wake. Tobin was also a true winner: She won two Women’s World Cups, three Ol…