US World Cup squad row erupts as ex-player blasts Pochettino’s ‘diabolical’ email decision

Former United States international Herculez Gomez has criticised USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino after reports claimed players were informed of their 2026 World Cup squad fate by email.

The controversy followed the announcement of the United States’ 26-man squad for the tournament, which will be staged on home soil.

According to reports, all 55 players named in the preliminary USMNT pool received emails from Pochettino informing them whether they had made the final squad.

The decision has triggered debate in American football circles, especially after some notable omissions from the list.

Among those left out were Real Salt Lake attacking midfielder Diego Luna, his club teammate Zavier Gozo and midfielder Tanner Tessmann.

Gomez, who played for the United States between 2007 and 2013, described the method of communication as “diabolical.”

Speaking on ESPN’s Fútbol Americas, the former striker said the approach was unacceptable, particularly in the case of Luna.

“It’s inexcusable. For Diego Luna to be one of the top three most capped players under Mauricio Pochettino, and to find out via email, that’s just wrong,” Gomez said.

He argued that Luna had been heavily used by U.S. Soccer both on the pitch and in promotional campaigns before being left out of the World Cup squad.

“A player that U.S. Soccer leaned on in terms of mentality and playing time. And you highlight him as a player and I quote ‘he has balls’ because he played with a broken nose,” Gomez added.

“You use him in World Cup commercials, you use him in MLS promotions. That is wrong.”

Gomez also compared the situation with his own experience before the 2014 World Cup, when he was dropped from the squad under former USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

According to him, Klinsmann at least left him a voicemail explaining the decision and thanking him for his role in helping the team qualify.

“I got a two-and-a-half minute voicemail from Jurgen Klinsmann thanking me for helping them get to the World Cup, but I won’t be going,” he said.