McKennie and Robinson excluded from USMNT — is this decision a huge mistake?

Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson failing to make the USMNT roster for this coming FIFA window surely has set tongues a-wagging. Interim coach Mikey Varas explained the omissions, namely the fitness of the players with a long, exhaustive season ahead. That hasn't stopped a few eyebrows being raised over whether all players are being treated equally, certainly among the fans and pundit classes. But the big question, of course, is whether that was a legitimate call or whether something was going on behind the scenes.

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Strategy of Varas: Protection to the Players or Team?

From day one, Mikey Varas made it known that both McKennie and Robinson need just a little more time. First, McKennie is still catching up as he missed an entire preseason, while Robinson, after an intense year in the Premier League, seems in dire need of well-deserved rest.

Varas really didn't mince words on McKennie: "He didn't have a full preseason, so the best thing for him-working together with the player, the club, and the country-is to leave him with Juventus and let him recover and prepare for his season." The same thinking applied to Robinson: "Antonee Robinson has been in great form this past year, and the best thing for him right now is to stay, reset, and get ready for a long, tough Premier League season.

Which kinda makes sense, right, with the U.S. Men's National Team trying to rebuild after that disappointing Copa América exit? After all, player health should be a top priority. But you can't help but raise this question: do these decisions really have the team first in mind, or are they part of a greater roster management strategy? And even more so: could leaving out such important players slow down the rhythm of the team?

A Dangerous Precedent?

Former USMNT player Jimmy Conrad raised a controversial point: are all players really getting the same treatment? According to Conrad, the team is setting a precedent that isn’t being applied equally. He openly criticized the decision not to follow the same reasoning with other players who are also struggling at their clubs. “Look at [Luca] De La Torre. He can’t even make the 18 at Celta Vigo, but he’s here. He’s on this team. Does that make sense?” Conrad said on CBS’ Call it What You Want.

Called up was De La Torre, who's been fighting for playing time at Celta Vigo. The choice opened a Pandora's box of debates about favoritism-or at least inconsistency in how these roster decisions are being justified. If the idea is that players need to be in good physical shape and playing regularly for their clubs, how do you explain De La Torre's inclusion when he's clearly struggling to find his form?

Looking Ahead: Preparation for the World Cup The decisions by Mikey Varas and U.S. Soccer could be framed through another prism: the future, particularly the 2026 World Cup. McKennie and Robinson are critical mainstays, and it is natural that the coaching staff would want them in the best position for moments far down the line. But this logic comes with a certain degree of irony. With such important friendlies without the participation of their main team players, how can the team really prepare?

And why are the other players not accorded the same treatment?

This indeed is one of the great puzzles in national team management. The right balance between club development and performance at the international level is never easy to achieve. The pressure to deliver results in the short term-such as the need for an immediate bounce following disappointment at Copa América-often runs in conflict with long-range planning.

Morale Within the Team Without McKennie and Robinson, the team loses two of the most influential players in its squad. More importantly, McKennie is a figure of intensity and charisma; thus, his absence might affect the morale of the group. And though Varas justified these absences on grounds of protection for their health, there's still something that doesn't make one feel that the team might be gearing up a bit less confident for this match.

Given that the U.S. is trying to recover from a pretty disappointing run, the missing of two key players might not be so easy to absorb.

Of course, the immediate question then becomes: Does the team really develop new talent in these friendlies? With two key starters possibly sitting out, this would be a perfect opportunity for those youngsters to step up and show their worth. Yet, with no minimum criteria to justify the call-up, one dark cloud may prove deleterious in the end.

Is Varas Making the Right Call?

From the point of view of Mikey Varas, he's doing what's best to keep his players healthy and ready for the long season ahead. But there is an unmistakable discomfort in seeing McKennie and Robinson getting a pass while other players at their clubs struggling remain on the roster.

In hindsight, perhaps Varas' decision is more calculated than it seems. Perhaps he looks at these friendlies as an avenue to introduce new options and offer the stars that much-needed rest. On the other side of the coin, this may come back to bite him if such upcoming games do not please, as that will see Varas under increased pressure also from the U.S. Soccer Federation. A delicate balancing act, so to speak.

Preparation or Precedent?

Ultimately, the decision with Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson off the roster speaks to something most international soccer teams have an issue with: players' fitness versus results on the pitch. While it might seem reasonable to this author that they are being rested, fairness and consistency issues simply cannot be abandoned. Varas wants to secure his team for the future, but in securing the future, he may compromise the present.

Perhaps it is time for U.S. Soccer to truly reset them and prepare them well for the 2026 World Cup by using an approach that's clearer and makes much more sense. After all, literally, the fans and pundits are watching closely, and success with this team will fall not only on tactical or physical decisions but on how those decisions look on and off the pitch. Only time will tell if the strategy of Varas pays off or he, like many coaches before him, will be remembered for not handling this delicate situation as well as he could have. Until then, the fans and the players will be left to speculate as this storyline unfolds.