Brenden Aaronson called up, Mark McKenzie returns to the USMNT for September friendlies

Update: On Sept. 2, midfielder Johnny Cardoso had to withdraw because of an injury. He was replaced on the squad by Tanner Tessmann (Venezia, Italy).

Though the opponents are relatively minor, U.S. men’s soccer team manager Gregg Berhalter has called in his major players for his first games back in charge of the program.

Hershey’s Christian Pulisic, Medford’s Brenden Aaronson, and fellow attacking stars Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Tim Weah, and Folarin Balogun are among the 24 players on the squad for games against Uzbekistan on Sept. 9 and Oman on Sept. 12.

The defense includes Antonee Robinson and Bear, Del.’s Mark McKenzie, who got his first call-up since late March. McKenzie was left out of the Nations League final four and Gold Cup rosters, the marquee events of the year so far. Starting goalkeeper Matt Turner also is on the roster.

“He’s always been playing at a top level in Belgium,” Berhalter said of McKenzie. “For us, when we’re looking at this centerback pool in particular, with a couple guys out, we think this is a great opportunity for him. It was a decision we made between him and Auston Trusty, and we felt like this is a good moment for Mark, a good opportunity for Mark to show that he belongs with this group.”

Trusty, a Media native and fellow Union alumnus, recently joined England’s Sheffield United after it was promoted back to the Premier League.

» READ MORE: Gregg Berhalter’s return as USMNT manager is official

The roster features two notable newcomers. The highest-profile is midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, an Inter Miami academy product, now a teammate of Lionel Messi, and the son of Argentine parents. Cremaschi, 18, has been part of the U.S. under-19 team and Argentina’s under-20 team. Messi has joined the latter’s recruiting effort, and the senior U.S. invitation is a loud countermove.

Playing in these games wouldn’t tie him to the U.S., because they’re just friendlies. But if he does play, it will be notable.

“We’re excited about the prospect of bringing him into camp; we’re excited to see what he can bring to our team and to our formation because we believe in him and we think he’s an excellent player,” Berhalter said. “And then it’s just going to be about the environment and him feeling comfortable with everyone.”

The second newcomer is left back Kristoffer Lund. He was born to a Danish father and American mother, grew up playing for Denmark’s youth teams, and has filed a change of nationality application to play for the United States. The 21-year-old plays for Italian second-division club Palermo, and if he’s good enough to stick, he’ll be welcome depth.

A long list of injured absentees includes captain Tyler Adams, Downingtown’s Zack Steffen, Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent, and Walker Zimmerman.

Why are Uzbekistan, ranked No. 74 by FIFA, and No. 71 Oman the opponents? Because there were barely any better options. Europe’s nations have qualifiers for next summer’s European Championship, Africa has qualifying for this winter’s Cup of Nations, and South America has the start of its qualifying marathon for the 2026 World Cup.

Traditional Asian powers Japan and South Korea are playing friendlies in Europe, and Australia is playing Mexico at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium on the same night as U.S.-Uzbekistan. Canada was available, but the U.S., currently ranked 11, has seen enough of Canada for a while — and the Canadian federation is in turmoil.

» READ MORE: For Zack Steffen, coming home to Downingtown still means a lot to the USMNT goalkeeper

This year’s biggest games are yet to come. In October, the Americans will host two big-time opponents: Germany in East Hartford, Conn., and Ghana in Nashville. November will bring a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series that also will serve as qualifying for next year’s Copa América tournament that the U.S. is hosting. (Though it’s the host, it agreed to qualify because it’s officially guest-hosting South America’s event.)

The Nations League opponent will be determined by qualifying games played this month and next month. The U.S. earned a bye to the quarterfinals by reaching the previous tournament’s semis.

Berhalter hasn’t been on the U.S. bench since last fall’s World Cup. His contract expired at the end of the year, and the final months of his tenure were consumed by the scandal over his broken relationship with Reyna and parents Claudio and Danielle. He officially was rehired in June.

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Berhalter admitted that while he has spoken with many U.S. players since regaining the job, he hasn’t spoken with Gio Reyna yet. And when asked whether he could repair ties with the parents, who’d been close with Berhalter and his wife for decades, he answered after a long pause: “I don’t think that’s a subject I’m comfortable talking about.”

» READ MORE: A timeline of the Reyna-Berhalter scandal that rocked U.S. soccer

There undoubtedly will be a lot of noise around Berhalter’s return, whether from scandal-seekers or fans who didn’t want him back for on-the-field reasons. But it’s no longer questionable that a lot of players backed his return, and that might help the diplomatic side of Reyna’s return.

“I look forward to having conversations with him, I look forward to watching his progress, and hopefully him getting back on the field,” Berhalter said. “And then for us, hopefully being able to include him in the October camp against two good opponents.”

Goalkeepers (3): Drake Callender (Inter Miami), Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest, England), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)

Defenders (9): Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo, Italy), Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgium), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg, Germany), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, England), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Germany)

Midfielders (6): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional, Brazil), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami), Luca de la Torre (Celta de Vigo, Spain), Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy), Yunus Musah (AC Milan, Italy), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands)

Forwards (6): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin, Germany), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco, France), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Tim Weah (Juventus)

» READ MORE: Medford’s Brenden Aaronson is enjoying his new home with Union Berlin

Saturday, Sept. 9: vs. Uzbekistan at St. Louis, 5:30 p.m. (TNT, Telemundo 62, Universo, Peacock)

Tuesday, Sept. 12: vs. Oman at St. Paul, Minn., 8:30 p.m. (TNT, Universo, Peacock)

Saturday, Oct. 14: vs. Germany at East Hartford, Conn., 3 p.m. (Telemundo 62, Peacock, English broadcast TBD)

Tuesday, Oct. 17: vs. Ghana at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. (Universo, Peacock, English broadcast TBD)

Thursday, Nov. 16: vs. opponent TBD at Austin, Texas, Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal first leg, 8:30 p.m. (TNT, Universo, Peacock)

Monday, Nov. 20 or Tuesday, Nov. 21: at opponent TBD, Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal second leg, time TBD (broadcast TBD)

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