USMNT October roster: 5 players with the most to prove

The October international window is going to be a critical one for Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT. Even with a win over Japan to close out the September window, the Americans need to start building some positive momentum ahead of the 2026 World Cup. At the same time, Pochettino is trying to figure out who he'll be bringing to the World Cup next summer.

Time is starting to run out for Pochettino with just three international windows until he has to name his World Cup squad. At the same time, players on the fringe are running out of opportunities to impress the manager and earn a roster spot. That makes the roster selection for October games against Ecuador and Australia a big deal.

The October roster includes plenty of established stars like Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, and Weston McKennie, who don't have to worry about their roster spot. However, most players selected still need to prove they belong, either on the roster or in the starting 11. For some, the situation is more urgent because this could potentially be their last USMNT call-up before the World Cup. Here are the five players with the most to prove in October.

5 USMNT players with the most to prove in October

Miles Robinson

Robinson was passed up in September in favor of fellow MLS-based center back Tristan Blackmon. Now it's Robinson's turn to audition for one of the reserve center back spots on the roster. It's hard to imagine there being room for both on the World Cup roster, so this is a zero-sum game for the two MLS all-stars.

A potential move to a three-back formation by Pochettino could favor Robinson, not to mention his international experience compared to Blackmon. But he still has to play well in October to help secure a World Cup roster spot because the center back position is somewhat crowded.

Alex Freeman

Joe Scally remains conspicuously absent from USMNT rosters, in part to give Freeman more opportunities. The 21-year-old continues to have a breakout season with Orlando and had a good showing during the Gold Cup.

With Sergiño Dest getting some extra rest, Freeman is the only true right back on the roster. That should mean plenty of minutes against two teams that have already qualified for the World Cup. This gives Freeman a chance to prove to Pochettino that he can be trusted as Dest's backup during World Cup games.

Brenden Aaronson

At the moment, Aaronson would appear to be on the outside looking in with so many talented attacking players available for selection. He didn't play much during the Gold Cup, and being a member of the 2022 World Cup squad isn't likely to help him. Aaronson has to prove to Pochettino that he'll be an asset to the USMNT next summer.

After coming off the bench for Leeds early in the Premier League season, Aaronson has moved into the starting lineup lately. However, he's not making a huge impact for his club team. That makes this window extra important for Aaronson, who has to show Pochettino what he can do at the international level.

Aidan Morris

Middlesbrough currently leads the English Championship, with Morris being a big reason for that success. He's drawn rave reviews for his defensive efforts in the midfield, contributing to Middlesbrough having one of the best defensive records in England.

While Morris is unlikely to unseat Tyler Adams for the starting job, a reserve role at defensive midfield is up for grabs. He's competing with Johnny Cardoso, who is battling an injury right now, and Tanner Tessman, who is also on the October roster, for one of the final World Cup roster spots, so it's critical that he take advantage of this opportunity.

The Goalkeepers

With four goalkeepers on the October roster, Pochettino is sending the message that this position is still wide open. Matt Freese probably has a slight edge right now, although his September performances weren't overly convincing.

Now that Matt Turner is playing regularly with New England, he can remind Pochettino what he can do when he's in good form and regain his spot as the USMNT starter. Patrick Schulte and Chris Brady have also been called into camp.

They will likely need to impress during training to get any game action, but the opportunity is there for them to at least make a case for being the third-string goalie at the World Cup.