The United States men’s national soccer team (USMNT) is set to conclude its 2025 campaign with two key friendly matches, kicking off with a showdown against Paraguay in Pennsylvania this Saturday. This exciting clash marks the first encounter between the USMNT and La Albirroja since their last pre-tournament friendly ahead of the 2018 World Cup. Soccer fans across the country are eagerly anticipating how the team will perform, especially given the stakes involved as they prepare for next year’s World Cup on home soil.
Following a productive double-header in October, where the USMNT drew with Ecuador—a team that finished second in South America’s World Cup qualifying—and notched a solid 2-1 victory over Australia, expectations are high for this upcoming match. New head coach Mauricio Pochettino aims to build on this momentum as he fine-tunes the squad’s strategy and cohesion for the tournament ahead.
However, Pochettino faces challenges with a notable absence of key players. Captain Christian Pulisic, forward Tim Weah, and midfield stalwarts Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie will all miss these fixtures, along with Premier League defenders Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson. This situation opens the door for several emerging talents to make their mark as they vie for a spot in the final tournament lineup next summer.
USA Lineup vs. Paraguay: Projected Starting XI and Team News
Pochettino’s roster for this month’s matches leans towards the experimental, featuring a four-man goalkeeper group that currently holds just 14 senior caps among them, including Jonathan Klinsmann, the son of former USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann. With a potential shift to a back-three formation likely, fans can anticipate seeing Sergino Dest return as the right wing-back. Additionally, Columbus Crew’s Max Arfsten is poised to take on the left flank in lieu of Robinson.
In the midfield, Tanner Tessman and Timmy Tillman are poised to make the most of their opportunities following Adams’ withdrawal due to injury. Forward positions may see both Gio Reyna and Diego Luna getting significant minutes, although perhaps not in the same starting lineup. The attacking trio of strikers, including Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Haji Wright, will look to impress as they vie for playing time. Balogun is emerging as the likely starter, given Pepi’s limited first-team action at PSV over recent weeks.
Projected Starting XI (3-4-3, right to left): Freese (GK) — Trusty, McKenzie, Ream — Dest, Tessman, Roldan, Arfsten — Aaronson, Balogun, Reyna.
Full USA Roster
Goalkeepers: Roman Celentano, Matt Freese, Jonathan Klinsmann, Patrick Schulte.
Defenders: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, John Tolkin, Auston Trusty.
Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter, Aidan Morris, Gio Reyna, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessman, Timmy Tillman, Brenden Aaronson, Diego Luna.
Forwards: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright.
Match Details: USA vs. Paraguay
- Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025
- Kickoff Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
- Location: Subaru Park (Chester, PA, USA)
- Last Meeting: USA 1-0 Paraguay (March 28, 2018 | International Friendly)