Two of the USMNT standout players like Folarin Balogun and Tim Ream won’t be starting against Turkiye, a decision that raised eyebrows among fans. The USMNT is playing its final match of the 2026 World Cup group stage tonight against an already-eliminated Turkiye squad. For this Matchday 3 clash at SoFi Stadium, key starters Folarin Balogun and Tim Ream have been left out of the starting lineup, prompting questions about the reasoning behind the decision.
Folarin Balogun will start on the bench tonight due to a tactical decision by head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Despite being fully fit and already having two goals to his name, the manager made it clear that he wants to avoid risking any players carrying yellow cards to prevent potential suspensions ahead of the Round of 32.
Ahead of the roster announcement, Pochettino explained his logic during Wednesday’s pre-match press conference: “I think it’s an easy answer for the guys that have yellow cards. I think it’s unnecessary to take a risk and then take another yellow card and be not available for the next stage. I think that is a little bit a normal and easy answer not to play with them from the beginning.“
In Tim Ream’s case, the veteran center-back will also watch the start of the match from the bench due to a tactical rotation by Pochettino. The USMNT captain has not been booked in either of the first two matches, but despite being fully fit, the coaching staff has decided to give him a rest ahead of the knockout stage.
*Developing story…