US players on World Cup roster bubble have soccer's ultimate Fear Of Missing Out

ATLANTA (AP) — Now comes the wait, soccer's ultimate FOMO. American players across the United States and Europe will count down the eight weeks until coach Mauricio Pochettino picks his 26 World Cup players. Those bypassed won't get a phone call.

“It's going to be painful,” Pochettino said. “In that process, always you create links, no, emotional links, but it’s going to be difficult to pick 26 from 35, 40 players. ” Twenty-four players were used during the 5-2 loss to Belgium and 2-0 defeat to Portugal in the last two friendlies before Pochettino announces his roster on May 26 at an event in New York.

A total of 38 players have appeared in the last eight matches dating to September. Twelve players appear to be locks if healthy: goalkeepers Matt Freese and Matt Turner; right back Sergiño Dest; central defenders Tim Ream and Chris Richards; left back Antonee Robinson; midfielders Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman; attackers Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah; and forward Folarin Balogun. About two dozen others are possible: goalkeepers Chris Brady, Patrick Schulte and Jonathan Klinsmann; central defenders Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson and Auston Trusty; outside backs Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman, Joe Scally and John Tolkin; midfielders Brenden Aaronson, Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso, Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Aiden Morris, Gio Reyna, Cristian Roldan and Tanner Tessmann; and forwards Patrick Agyemang, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright and Alejandro Zendejas.

Players will be concentrating on their club careers and as May 26 approaches will try not to dwell on their World Cup chances. “Hopefully that time when with Celtic we’re playing (the Scottish) Cup final. That’s the only thing I’ll be focusing on,” defender Trusty said.