Assistant Mikey Varas will take over as the U.S. coach for the upcoming friendly matches against Canada and New Zealand, as a new contract for Mauricio Pochettino to replace Gregg Berhalter has not yet been finalized.
On Sunday, Varas selected a 24-man squad that includes Diego Kochen, a goalkeeper from Barcelona’s youth system, and Marlon Fossey, a defender from Standard Liege, both of whom have not previously played for the national team.
Several injured players, including right back Sergiño Dest, midfielder Tyler Adams, and winger Tim Weah, will miss the matches. Defenders Antonee Robinson and Cameron Carter-Vickers, as well as midfielder Weston McKennie, were also left out to stay with their clubs.
The U.S. will play Canada on Saturday in Kansas City, Kansas, and then face New Zealand three days later in Cincinnati.
Berhalter was dismissed on July 10, a week after the U.S. was knocked out in the first round of the Copa America. The U.S. Soccer Federation began talks with Pochettino, a former Tottenham and Chelsea manager, more than two weeks ago.
Varas, who was previously an assistant coach for Dallas and led the U.S. under-20 team from November 2021 to August 2023, guided the U.S. to win the 2022 CONCACAF title, securing the team’s first men’s Olympic berth since 2008. He also took the team to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Under-20 World Cup, where they lost to Uruguay 2-0.
The USSF had planned for Varas to manage the team for the September games. Last year, two of Berhalter’s former assistants, Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan, also served as interim coaches.
The current roster includes six players who did not participate in the Copa America: Kochen, Fossey, goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, defenders Auston Trusty and Caleb Wiley, and midfielder Aidan Morris.
