LOS ANGELES — U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter announced his 26-man roster for this month's World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday, and the biggest surprise wasn't so much the names that were included as it was the one that was excluded.
Left off the team was Zack Steffen, the most experienced goalkeeper in the U.S. player pool with 29 appearances. Steffen, who started six of the team's 14 World Cup qualifiers, moved from Manchester City to Middlesbrough of the second-tier Championship this season to get playing time ahead of the World Cup but battled injuries early in the season.
Steffen's absence means Arsenal's Matt Turner will be the team's No. 1 keeper, backed by Ethan Horvath and Sean Johnson.
The U.S., which did not qualify for the last World Cup, will open play in Qatar on Nov. 21, when it faces Wales. The Americans will also play England and Iran in group play.
With an average age of just more than 25 years, the team will be the second-youngest in U.S. World Cup history, trailing only the 1990 team.
The roster includes three teenagers in defender Joe Scally and midfielders Gio Reyna and Yunus Musah, who are all 19, although Reyna and Musah will turn 20 this month. Only one player, defender DeAndre Yedlin, has been on a World Cup roster before.
Berhalter can make changes up until Monday, the FIFA deadline for submitting the official list.
"Final roster decisions are always difficult and we appreciate everyone's contributions who helped us get to this point," Berhalter said in a statement. "We believe we have a talented group, a strong team spirit, and one that is ready to compete."
Injuries affected Berhalter's choices. Defender Miles Robinson, who started 11 times in World Cup qualifying, torn his left Achilles tendon in May and defender Chris Richards, who hasn't played since August, said this week that he would not be available either.
There are also fitness doubts with defender Sergiño Dest and midfielders Weston McKennie and Luca de la Torre, all of whom made the team despite recent injuries.
Also making the cut, as expected, were Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic, Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, Lille's Tim Weah, LAFC midfielder Kellyn Acosta and former LAFC defender Walker Zimmerman, now with Nashville SC.
The most experienced player is Yedlin, 29, who has 75 international caps while Fulham defender Tim Ream, 35, is the oldest player. Scally and forward Haji Wright, with three international caps each, are the most inexperienced players.
This is the first U.S. World Cup roster without a player from the Galaxy since the MLS club was established in 1996.
The roster (club teams, caps and goals in parentheses)
— Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Luton Town, 8/0), Sean Johnson (New York City FC, 10/0), Matt Turner (Arsenal 20/0).
— Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic, 11/0), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan, 19/2), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls, 29/3), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC, 15/1), Tim Ream (Fulham, 46/1), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 29/2), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 3/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF, 75/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 33/3).
— Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United, 24/6), Kellyn Acosta (LAFC, 53/2), Tyler Adams (Leeds United, 32/1), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, 12/0), Weston McKennie (Juventus, 37/9), Yunus Musah (Valencia, 19/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC, 32/0).
— Forwards: Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas, 15/7), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders, 49/11), Christian Pulisic (Chelsea, 52/21), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, 14/4), Josh Sargent (Norwich City, 20/5), Tim Weah (Lille, 25/3), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor, 3/1).
