The USMNT will be missing several integral players, including Christian Pulisic, when it takes on Venezuela and Costa Rica later this month.

The upcoming USMNT friendlies serve as a crucial stepping stone towards the 2025 Gold Cup and CONCACAF Nations League Finals. Many MLS players will be hoping to impress manager Mauricio Pochettino and earn a place in the squad.

U.S. national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has been quick to praise the quality of American players but says he wants to inject some Argentine spirit and patriotism into his squad.The former Tottenham Hotspur manager has spent this week working in South Florida with a group of mainly domestic based MLS players ahead of a friendly against Venezuela on Saturday.

These two games have been organised by US Soccer (at Pochettino’s request) in conjunction with both the Costa Rican and Venezuelan FA’s and because the games fall outside FIFA’s international window, the USMNT’s Europe-based stars will not participate as there is no obligation from their clubs for their release.

The United States Men's National Team is gearing up for two international friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica. These games represent head coach Mauricio Pochettino's third cycle in charge of the USMNT;

World Cup history suggests there is always room for outsider to make a run at a World Cup squad, but the chances are slim

USA national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has been quick to praise the quality of American players but says he wants to inject some Argentine spirit and patriotism into his squad.

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The USMNT-Venezuela game will be broadcast in English on TNT. NBC's Universo and Telemundo will carry the game in Spanish. The USMNT-Venezuela game will be streamed in English on Max. NBC's Peacock will carry the game in Spanish.

Just four members of the USMNT's January roster worked with coach Mauricio Pochettino previously. But players' familiarity with each over could prove crucial before next year's World Cup on home soil.