The United States men’s national soccer team has begun its first camp following the World Cup with an emphasis on integrating a youthful roster, reflecting a strategic shift under coach Mauricio Pochettino. The training camp, held in Fayetteville, Georgia, features a mix of emerging talents and a smaller contingent of established players, highlighting the team’s transition toward the next generation of American soccer prospects.

Among the group is Sebastian Berhalter, a 25-year-old midfielder who represents one of the more seasoned players present. Despite his recent rise—breaking into the national team last year, competing in the 2026 World Cup, and securing a transfer to England’s Middlesbrough—Berhalter found himself among the veterans in a roster where nearly half the 28-man squad are under the legal drinking age in the U.S. “I think older guy is actually a good way to put it,” Berhalter acknowledged at a Monday news conference. “It feels like I’m an older guy, which is crazy.”

Joining Berhalter was Gio Reyna, 23, who has already established a notable career with Borussia Dortmund and the national team. Reyna’s interaction with the camp’s younger members illustrated the generational shift underway. For instance, 19-year-old forward Justin Ellis, who is seeking his first senior cap in an upcoming friendly against Peru, described Reyna as his favorite player growing up. Reyna responded positively to the dynamic, noting the responsibility of veteran players to mentor younger teammates and foster their development.

The camp’s roster includes a significant presence of teenagers, among them the notably young forward Donovan Sullivan, 16, who has drawn considerable attention. The mix of youth and youth-adjacent players signals an openness by Pochettino to experimenting with lineups as the team looks beyond the immediate future. Several players at the camp, such as Ellis, Julian Hall, and Damion Downs, were not part of the World Cup squad, indicating a broad search for talent for upcoming competitions such as next summer’s Gold Cup and the 2030 World Cup cycle.

Pochettino emphasized the importance of leadership and professional conduct in this phase of team building. He conveyed that senior players’ behavior on and off the field would set the tone for younger players and influence their integration into the squad. “It’s a very important period for us, also, to observe if senior players are good role models for the young,” Pochettino said, noting that failure to meet expectations would carry consequences.

This camp appears poised to serve as a critical incubator for the U.S. men’s national team’s future, balancing the infusion of youthful prospects with the guidance of emerging veterans, as it prepares for the evolving challenges on the international stage.