The Deuce, Presented by Allstate: USMNT Roster Reveal Special with Clint Dempsey

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2:40America, we have a 26-man US roster for the 2026 Men's World Cup. And yes, it was announced in WikiLeaks style. We knew the entire squad once it was leaked by The Guardian last Friday, four days before the initial announcement today. But we're here to break it down together with the only American male ever to score in three straight World Cups out of Nagadoches, Texas. It's the Bass Assassin. It's my friend. It's Mr. Clint Dempsey. What's up, Raj? How you doing, brother? Oh, Clint, I'm so glad to see your face. You're like a throwback to happier days. But it's so good to be here for the roster reveal special of The Juice made possible by our great friends at Allstate.

3:21So proud to team up once again with a partner who are committed to growing the game we love. Clint, we just watched an hour-long show in which we pretended the whole thing hadn't been leaked. And the big surprise, once again, no Landon Donovan on the roster. I mean, the biggest surprise was the fact that the roster got leaked, right? I mean, how does that happen? And then if you're Fox, you've got to be pretty upset that that happened. And then you've got to pretend like it didn't. But yeah, it was tough to see some players not make it, some surprises that got in. But at least we finally got the roster, right?

4:00Thank God. It feels real. It's a real turning point in the whole energy towards the tournament. It feels real. We're charging in. We know with whom. Do you like it? Do you not like it? Tell us in the chat who got snubbed. Who do you think should have made the squad? We want to talk about all of your feelings. Who are you most surprised about? We'll get to your live questions in just one moment on this show. Let me remind you how. Scan the QR code, top left, take you into a Zoom with our producer, Tony. We'll get you up to come and ask Clint any question you want here. It's audio only, but get in line now to make sure that you're in there.

4:37Slap your comments in, give us a like, subscribe to the channel. Come be with us at this moment. But Clint, we have our 26 stars of the squad. remain Christian Pulisic, Weston McKinney, and that mighty warrior, Tyler Adams. All there as expected. Big picture, 13 US players will be taking part in their first World Cup. Eight of the 26 are from MLS. Club America winger Alejandro Zendaya's in. Leon defensive midfielder Tanner Testament out. Gio Reyna in. Another emotional dagger. The Israel Salt Lake's Diego Luna was spurned. Big picture. How do you feel about it, strength and weakness-wise, before we break it down?

5:18I mean, yeah, there was some injuries that we had that would have been interesting to see if they were fully fit, how this roster would have looked with Johnny Cardoso, with Ajiman as well. Happy for Ricardo Pepe after being snubbed for the 2022 World Cup. You and me both. Happy to see him. You know, I think that's a great message to any of the guys that got snubbed this time. You got to keep fighting and good things will happen. And Ricardo Pepe is a perfect example of that. Got to feel bad for Tessman and Diego Luna. Happy for Zendejas, the way he's been playing at America with the goals and assists that he's been able to get.

5:54And there's something that the coach sees in Gio. He's the difference maker when he comes on. But if you're a player that plays week in and week out for your club, you're going to feel a certain way about that decision. So how would you feel about it? What is that certain way? No, no, no. I mean, if you're playing week in and week out and show that you're fit and you can be counted on, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You come into camp and you played a significant amount of minutes and you felt like you've done your thing where, you know, other people maybe haven't played as much for their club, but, you know, still came in and did good with the time that they had with the national team.

6:27You know what I'm saying? It's one of those that the messaging, right? I thought that the coach was giving out, right? Yeah, I mean, it is fascinating. Gio Reyna saving himself for the World Cup. So he's box fresh and ready to do his national service in a time of need. We'll talk about him in one moment, but let's start about Diego Luna. Man was very much the people's choice. I think the word, I mean, it was Ricardo Pepied from the roster at the last. That's the verb, really. Good enough to be the face of the team jersey launch. One of the stars for that commercial in which the US win the World Cup off a Pulisic corner.

7:04He's also been a workhorse for Poch. Big balls, he called him. Paul Carr sent me these stats, Clint. Diego Luna, seventh in minutes under Pochettino, 953. Played in 17 games under Poch, third most of any player. Only Tim Ream and Max Austin have played more. Second in goals under Poch with four. Tied for second with four assists. We may be guilty as fans of being so desperate for a saviour this cycle that many chose him. We'd anointed him. How do you feel about this? And did you play with anyone who was just an ever-present all the way to the end and then just whack? Yeah, I mean, it's a tough one, right?

7:45Because when you think about a team and trying to get that fight back in the team after what we saw in Copa America, being the first host country to not get out of the group and then see in CONCACAF Nations League, losing in the semifinal to Panama, it seemed like we needed a little bit more fight in the team. And so when you got these guys that come into January camping or fighting, He got his nose broke, wanting to stay out on the pitch. And then you talk about what was done in Gold Cup, where we didn't have all our European players in there, but we had the fight that we'd been lacking, right?

8:19So after the Gold Cup, it was like we were going to mix whatever the word you said, Grinta or whatever, the fight, with the quality of some of the European players that we had. So you got to feel bad for him, like you said. He was second in assists. He was second in goals. So with those numbers, you'd have thought you would have done enough. But, hey, we're not in camp every day and in practice every day to see how things are going and what's going to be best for this team. But for me, I would have thought having more attacking players would have been a better situation when, you know, you're chasing a game and you need to get a goal.

8:54I would like to see maybe a little bit more attacking players and all the defensive players that we took. I find it very moving, looking, I mean, profoundly, the level of emotion, the reaction to Diego Luna's exclusion. One of the loudest I've heard, I can see in the comments now, I'm Michael Markwell, 1269. Facts, Luna plays with pride, enjoy wearing the crest, that red devil ever really pissed off that our dog Luna didn't get the call and he had to find out by email that he wasn't going. I mean, this is what you're hearing a lot in terms of fan reaction. Footballingly, he was always just going to be a spark off the bench.

9:34But the emotional reaction to his omission, Clint, it's almost less about him as a player and more about that grit, that mentality that he brought almost as a cult hero, which fans have felt this whole cycle has been missing. Yeah, I mean, I think we've missed that connection with the fans, if I'm being honest. if you're looking at the attendance that we've had at games, right? I mean, at the last friendlies, Portugal and Belgium, they were the best probably attendance that we've had. But, like, if you're looking at Gold Cup and some of the friendlies, there just hasn't been a lot of buzz. So it seems like we've missed that connection between the players and the fans.

10:10And he was one of those guys, to your point. He fought. He's, you know, working class. Like, gave people someone that they could relate to that they grew up with. They might have played pickup with, high school soccer, club soccer with. You know what I'm saying? I think that's why people connected with his story. But also the fight that he had, breaking your nose, coming back in the game. And, you know, he did get four goals, four assists. And that was, like you said, that was second amongst the team. Yeah, I mean, you don't like to talk about this, but he did seem to represent some of the values of the past that fans feel is missing currently.

10:49And that's almost what he embodied. I will say this. I feel for him. I've come to know him quite well through this cycle. He's a sweet and thoughtful human being. He feels things. He really does. Diego Luna feels things. I'll say the optics are not great. This is a gentleman that's spoken freely. I find quite powerfully about both his dreams, his singular pathway. He's also talked honestly about his battles against the demons of mental health. So to get flicked off late via email, I did, my reaction was really for him as a human being. There's almost a duty of care, Clint. I do feel, I feel like there's a lack of, there's a lack of respect.

11:31You're like, look, this is football. This is not, you know, friends, but there's a lack of empathy that does come back to bite you. Yeah, I mean, it's one of those things that there's plenty of times that you've had teammates kind of been in that situation that fought alongside you. And like I said, you have to look to Ricardo Pepe as motivation, right? I thought that he should have been in the 2022 World Cup. You and me, Ben. I was disappointed he wasn't selected. It's kind of the same situation here with Diego Luna. I think he needs to take confidence from his story that you can bounce back.

12:05And sometimes maybe in life you've got to take one step back to take two steps forward. So it's important that you use this as his motivation and not something to throw you off the track, right? Because success is not just linear. You're going to have – it's a roller coaster of the ups and the downs, and it's how you deal with it. I mean, getting sent an email, that's not the best way to find out. You'd rather a phone call. But I would rather that than some of the situations that I saw happen in 2010 and 2014 where we're actually in camp and people are having meetings and you're walking to the meeting where another person is leaving from the meeting and, like, seeing my boy Eddie Johnson, like, in 2010, being told that he's not going to be selected for the World Cup.

12:47And he was my roommate, and we were boys. And there's no way you can't tell me that he wouldn't have made a difference with our team in 2010. But I'm not the coach. I'm not the one making those decisions. And then in 2014, you're seeing Landon not being selected. You're seeing Marisa do not being selected. And it's like it's tough to have people that are on the highest of highs and the lowest of lows being in the same spot. And you have to be in front of people and react to these things in real time. So I think it's better that you have a phone call than to actually be in camp and to find out some of the ways that we found out.

13:18This day, last cycle, Greg Berhalter came on our show to talk about the process. I remember he said the hardest part are the phone calls to those who are not going to make it. But he said they are so important so that you can tell them about what they need to do so that they can grow. I agree with you about the email. It is cold. It is hard. I mean I do want to ask you one more on Diego before we move on Clint, Sasha Kleshtam former US international he spoke quite beautifully on television over the weekend he addressed Diego personally, he said I've been through what you've been through in 2010 can I say my career after the moment of rejection was better than my career before that moment didn't let one decision go against me didn't let that blow the rest of my career and so Diego Luna you still have 12 more years of your career kids just 22 um you know I tried to prove a point till a day I stopped playing and I know you admire Diego Luna Clint we've talked about how at times you've recognized the chip that he brought onto the field when we were covering games you were like that dog has a chip like I did um that chip's going to be even bigger now so what would your message be if you were going to address Diego Luna right now I mean use it as motivation every time you go out there show them why they made a mistake why they didn't select you I mean that's that's all you can can do and that's all that you can control right is keep doing what you've been doing and take it up to even a higher level if you if you have that within yourself like use it as motivation man make that chip be bigger for you make it a reason why to prove every time you get on that pitch that hey you should have been selected I mean I'll say it Again, look what Ricardo Pepe did.

15:02That's what he did. You know what I mean? And he was in roles where sometimes he was having to be the super sub. And he still was able to come in games and make that impact and do what he needed to do to make this roster. So, you know what I'm saying? Look no further than one of your own peers. I do. I find that Ricardo Pepe analogy really moving because Ricardo Pepe also in the cycle that he was cut from was so key and almost saved the whole cycle in moments and then was not rewarded for it. Look, what Diego did, you know, the nose, the fight, the grit, it was not at the same level as Pepe, but the parallel is really true.

15:41Jonathan Davis 197 in the chat says, it's much a better story for the US to have a scrappy, determined dogs in a fight that lose against high pedigree players that play below their potential and lose. Wow, the US better win. I just say, you know, to Diego, I can't imagine what he's feeling right now. I know how hard he works. I know how much he dreamed, him and his family. And I know this won't help in the moment. He will be in pain right now. But the truth is he's beloved by so many fans. You're seeing this. Even on the broadcast today, there were signs of the selection begging Poch to choose Diego Luna.

16:18People who don't believe in leaks. I see Diego Luna is a true hero to hundreds and hundreds of fans across this nation. Wish you loved strength and took better days ahead. What was the hardest cut from the national team you ever had to live through? I mean, like I said, 2010 and 2014, having your teammates in front of you in real time, reacting to the lowest of low moments, you know what I mean? And then have others being on cloud nine because their dream came true. But like, I mean, when I think of like cuts throughout my career and not making certain teams, like I remember being at region camp at ODP where everybody goes up and looks at a wall on a list and see if your name's on that list.

16:58And not having my name on that list and having to come home and tell everybody because it's like I had to go out and try to get donations to be able to afford to even go to these type of camps. And when I came back, people had to ask, like, hey, how the camps go? And you had to let them know, like, hey, I appreciate the help and the donation of getting me there. But I didn't have to I didn't make it. You know, I wasn't on the list and you have to face the music. And, you know, you might have like a few days where you just kind of like don't want to see anybody. You kind of stay in your room and then then you just get back out there grinding.

17:32I mean, that's that's that's all that's all I ever knew was to get back on the pitch. That's what's going to bring you peace and work harder than what you did before. And sometimes you need failures to so you know what that feels like. so you don't want to experience it again that you work that much harder. Fuel on the Clint Dempsey fire. Thank you for that story because it's the same as in life, as in football, failure is all about how you face up to it. We are delighted to bring you the Men in Blazers City Guides presented by Visa. A joyously assembled guide to the best places to eat, drink and explore and watch the beautiful game across the country.

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18:53The other headline, Gio Reyna in for his second World Cup. He's played 520 minutes from Munchengladbach this season. Not an enormous amount. He's box fresh, I think is the right way to phrase it. But what a biblical level of suffering Gio's experience since the last World Cup. Living out that familial agony of the Reina feud with a longtime friend, turned coach Greg Berhalter. We all are very familiar with the story, but don't need to rehash it. The investigation, the reappointment, the shadow cast across the entire start of this cycle. Look, starkly Gio's club stock has plummeted. One goal and four league starts for him.

19:37in the Bundesliga this season. But this is a man, you talk to the players, they all say Gio can do things with the football creatively that no other American player can touch. Pochettino's repeatedly praised him, said he judges him differently. I mean, that we need him still so badly, despite his fall off for his club team. What does that say to us, Clint? Well, what I'll say as a counter is, One, I feel a connection with Gio because he lost a sibling at a young age. So I'm always going to have that kind of sympathy for him and his situation. I know how difficult that is. But also what I like to say is every time he comes in and plays with the national team, if you look at his stats in the nation's leagues and in some of the friendlies that he's played in, his numbers are great.

20:28There's no denying that. But at the same time, to your point, he's not playing week in and week out. and going into these games, is he someone that can start a game? I don't know if he truly can or not, because we haven't really seen enough proof of him playing week in and week out for his club on a consistent basis throughout his career yet. So it makes you think that it's only going to be in a sub role. But what I will say, and I agree with the players, he does things that other people can't. He can unlock things. He can create. And that's what you need when you're chasing a game and you need to get that goal.

21:04So maybe that's what kind of edged him over the top in those situations, those moments of quality that he's able to bring. But you still, you're limited in how you use him because of what you've seen in his club career, him not having the ability to really start a game and go a full 90 at a high pace. He's an American James Rodriguez, a gentleman whose career will be lived out best in a national jersey, which is truly a fascinating reality. Godspeed. I will say every player I've spoken to is just like, we need him. He has to play. He does things we can't. In many ways, the US squad is like a patriarchal, generational kind of biblical story.

21:44Sebastian Berhalter, Greg's son on the roster. I don't know how there's not a Dempsey, maybe a Donovan in that team yet, Clint. Hey, I got six on the way, so maybe one of them might hit. One of them might make it. We'll see. 34, there's going to be loads. Fingers crossed. No, it's time for Doing It Like The Juice, presented by Allstate. Our segment in which Clint spotlight is a first-time World Cup player who's just been named to the squad. So happy for this human being. It's another attacking midfielder, 28-year-old Mexican-born Alejandro Zendaya, who's been, you said it earlier, so potent for Club America in the Liga MX playoffs.

22:22Four goals, two assists over his last five games of the season. Arguably the most potent player on the roster in the attacking realm right now. He's played just 139 minutes, just one start for Mauricio Pochettino in this cycle. I don't know why he wasn't brought in before. He's not an unknown that we've just uncovered. It makes the last year seem a little bit crazy. But was there a player like that for you that just snuck in out of nowhere and made the roster? And how did that person just fit in with the chemistry of completely new energy coming in at last? Yeah, I mean, maybe that was similar to my situation going in 2006.

23:00I was on the outside looking in, going into January camp, not really knowing how things were going to work out. I did well in the friendlies that I had a chance to play in and kind of played myself into the team. Really wasn't part of the World Cup qualifying process, maybe played in only two or three games. But, yeah, I mean, look, he's someone who has quality. He's able to come in on that left foot, whip balls in. He showed that he could score goals. I mean, that was a great goal that he scored against Japan when we played against them on the cross, being able to find the far post. I think he's someone that has a lot of quality, especially in midfield, to keep the ball when there's a lot of pressure and playing out of those types of situations.

23:46I just think he's a really versatile player and, you know, happy for him to be on this roster and also representing some of the Latin culture that makes up the U.S. Amen I've got to say the fact that he has a weapon of a left foot I've got to think helped his case here we really need that the other surprising omission in the midfield comes in the defensive realm Tanner Tessman Double T that 24 year old Alabama who plays in Lyon in France did not make the roster a lot of talk on the internet that he picked up a muscle injury earlier this month I'll just say I've spoken to people close to Tanner Tessman who told me that the injury would have no way impacted his World Cup readiness.

24:29I love Tyler Adams. I think he's a human phenomenon. I think he's been stunning for Bournemouth this season. But there is an enormous workload being dropped on him and Western McKinney. Never mind the fact that two yellow cards can lead to a suspension with, let's just say, quite a drop-off if either of them needs a break or, God forbid, is injured, Clint. Yeah, I mean, I know Thierry Henry, he spoke highly of Testament and he liked the way that he played. He watched a lot of the matches that he played in Ligue 1. he could play in a midfield role, but also I could see him if they went to a back three, being able to do a job there.

25:02So for me, maybe I would have taken him over one of the defenders that they had brought, because it seems like it's a pretty defender heavy roster, but Hey, it's a lot of ass on Tyler Adams and hopefully he stays fit. I mean, he's, he's battled injuries, but you know, to his credit, he's, you know, been able to come out that on the other side and continue to play well. And like you said, Bournemouth had a great season this year and yeah, he'll be big for us in this world cup. Yeah. I mean, tactically depth wise, at Benjamin Michael 93 says in the chat, Testament even bigger snub, the Luna, I think that is the truth.

25:40You know, you look at it, if Tyler Adams gets injured or suspended, you know, our world cup challenge is, is let's just say it's going to be challenged. We don't have the cover at the number six position. It's quite perplexing to me. Aidan Morris of Middlesbrough was right there. I mean, that man is an incredible Bull Terrier. Terrific in the playoff final at the weekend. Really sets the tempo for Middlesbrough, the intensity. He got a lot of love from Potch in the last two games. It's very odd to me that he wasn't given a shout. But, I mean, how do you think about it? Did you drop Weston deeper to play alongside Tyler Adams?

26:18Do you just, in Pochettino's imagination, are we thinking like Berhalter and Roldan are just easy switches? I mean, I don't know if it's necessarily even switches. I mean, maybe Christian gives you a little, I mean, I don't know. Berhalter is good on set pieces, but, and you know what you're going to get out of Christian? He's a box-to-box midfielder. But, I mean, obviously, it's Tyler Adams and Weston McKinney that are going to be our midfield. And, yeah, I mean... It scares me, man. Clint, it scares me. We had Jesse Marsh on last World Cup. He was your assistant coach in 2010. And he talked about, this is before the Netherlands game when we were eliminated.