How to Build a World Cup Roster | Unfiltered Soccer

Summary

Podcast Summary: Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard

Episode: How to Build a World Cup Roster

Date: May 8, 2026
Hosts: Landon Donovan (A), Tim Howard (B)

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Overview

In this week's episode, Landon Donovan and Tim Howard deliver a candid, insiders’ discussion about the intricate process of building a World Cup roster from a manager’s perspective. Drawing on their extensive experience with the US Men’s National Team, both offer practical insights into the selection process, roster dynamics, and the nuanced roles players must fill beyond pure ability. They touch upon the influence of staff, personality, locker room chemistry, versatility, and even handling drama within the squad—all in the context of the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Roster Selection Process: Who Decides?

[00:01–01:52]

• Tim emphasizes that building a World Cup roster is far deeper than simply picking the 26 best players.

  “There are so many factors…ultimately, this is why you hire a manager.” — Tim [00:32]

• The “inner circle” making decisions is usually:
  • The manager
  • First/second assistants
  • Goalkeeper coach
  • Fitness and medical/sports science staff are consultative but secondary
• Each coach is asked to independently submit their own roster for comparison and debate.

  “These other coaches will be able to name what they believe is the best roster…then you compare and contrast.” — Landon [01:38]

2. The Role of Politics and External Pressure

[02:13–02:51]

• Historically, roster choices could be swayed by external agents or political lobbying.

  “I won’t say lobbying, but in the coach’s ear…that would definitely happen. I don’t think it happens as much…now.” — Tim [02:30]

• Some countries still face such pressures, but not as much in the current US context.

3. Structure and Strategy: From 23 to 26 Spots

[02:51–03:14]

• Shift from 23 to 26-man rosters gives managers more options.
• It’s not simply “two players per position” thinking anymore.
• Striker count is questioned in light of injuries and managerial tendencies.

4. The Value of Versatility

[03:15–04:05]

• Versatile players, able to cover multiple positions, are prioritized.

  “You get on the field where you can get on the field...your ability to play multiple positions is very valuable.” — Tim [03:34]

• Landon shares how his own willingness to adapt got him onto the field in 2002, taking an unfamiliar right midfield spot.

5. The U.S. Striker Dilemma & Roster Math

[04:05–05:06]

• Landon predicts the US will take three, not four strikers, due to injury and recent selection trends.

  “I don’t think this US team will have four strikers…one would not go for whatever reason…now that Aja Mang’s been injured, I don’t know if he’s going to supplement the roster with the fifth best striker.” — Landon [04:18]

• Tim agrees:

  “I don’t think he is…he’s not brought any of those guys in recently.” — Tim [05:02]

6. Balancing Talent, Experience, and Chemistry

[05:07–06:09]

• Coaches often use final roster spots on young players for experience, not just impact.
• Core playing group is about 13–16 players through four to six games, leaving remaining spots for special roles or chemistry.

7. The “Superstar Quality” Factor

[06:09–07:04]

• Exceptional single-purpose skills (like penalty-saving, 1v1 dominance, physical height) can earn a fringe player a spot.

8. Team Dynamics vs. Tactical Flexibility

[07:04–07:44]

• The US can’t afford the luxury of tailoring the squad to opponents, unlike deeper squads like England.

  “I don’t think the US has ever been good enough to have that luxury…I think the US has to play at its best every time out.” — Tim [07:12]

9. The Importance of “Glue Guys”

[07:44–08:37]

• Intangible locker-room value can outweigh raw skill for final roster players.

  “A more talented player will miss out…for a glue guy…who trains every day. At a World Cup, it gets long...you want a guy…who’s going to be the first in training, clapping his hands, getting guys motivated.” — Landon [07:53]

• Christian Roldan is cited as a recent example.

10. Handling Drama & Leadership Roles

[08:37–09:45]

• Positive or negative player influence (referencing the Gio Reyna saga in 2022) can deeply affect the team.
• Senior players sometimes act as internal managers to handle young or problematic teammates.

  “Oftentimes they’ll [coaches] select a player to handle crap they don’t want to handle…Can you please go sort him out?” — Landon [09:12] “Is it worth the headache? Is the talent worth the headache?...If it’s not, you go, this ain’t worth it.” — Tim [09:45]

11. Personal Stories: The Call-Up Experience

[10:12–10:58]

• Tim details how being added to a World Cup roster is “life-changing”—much like getting drafted in other pro sports.

  “Getting that call is…I can’t tell you how life-changing that call is, dude. It is incredible. I called my mom right away…she was crying.” — Tim [10:58]

• Landon recalls being an alternate in 2002 and more secure in later cycles.

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Memorable Quotes

• “There are so many factors…ultimately, this is why you hire a manager.”
  — Tim Howard [00:32]

• “You get on the field where you can get on the field…your ability to play multiple positions is very valuable.”
  — Tim Howard [03:34]

• “A more talented player will miss out…for a glue guy…who trains every day.”
  — Landon Donovan [07:53]

• “Oftentimes they’ll select a player to handle crap they don’t want to handle…Can you please go sort him out?”
  — Landon Donovan [09:12]

• “Getting that call is…I can’t tell you how life-changing that call is, dude.”
  — Tim Howard [10:58]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Who Makes Selection Decisions: [00:16]–[01:52]
• Influence of Politics/Agents: [02:13]–[02:51]
• Roster Strategy & Position Math: [02:51]–[05:06]
• Value of Versatility: [03:15]–[04:05]
• Choosing “Glue Guys” & Team Chemistry: [07:44]–[08:37]
• Handling Problem Players: [09:04]–[09:45]
• Personal Memories of Being Selected: [10:12]–[10:58]

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Conclusion

Landon Donovan and Tim Howard pull back the curtain on World Cup roster construction, illustrating that what seems simple from the outside is actually an intricate mix of player ability, positional demands, versatility, personality, and locker room chemistry. Their personal anecdotes and frank analysis make clear that assembling a winning squad is as much about managing people as managing tactics—and that unforgettable, career-making moment when a player’s World Cup dream comes true.

Transcript

[A]

This bonus content is brought to you by Coca Cola and Carnival Cruise Line. As the tournament draws closer, let's talk about how you and I would build a World cup roster through the eyes of managers.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. So this is an interesting discussion because I think fans from the outside go, okay, who are the best, in this case, 26 players and just does not work that way. There are so many factors of this. And let's start. So from my experience, you tell me if this is different, but who's going into that decision? Right. So in this case, of course, Pochettino and his entire technical staff. Is there anybody else that we're missing that, you know, I'm sure the, like the physical staff too goes into it, right? Where guys are at injury wise and that kind of stuff. Can they handle certain things, whatever. But ultimately, ultimately, this is why you hire a manager, right?

[A]

Yeah, I think first and foremost, I think the, the sports science training, medical staff come into it secondarily. Right. So I think what happens ld is the people who are close to the team, right. Start at the head of it. So you got the manager, his first and second assistant, right. Goalkeeper coach, probably your, you know, these guys have, these new managers, have like fitness coaches, but they're like, they're sort of assistant coaches. So I would say there's probably, aside from the managers, probably four people. And I truly believe, and I know the manager will task every camp, but certainly going into the, into the final roster, they will have a running order of their best roster, right. So. So they'll get in a meeting and the manager will say, tell me your roster. So these other coaches will be able to like, name what they would believe is the best roster. Right. Does that make sense?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So, so then compare. Yeah, compare and contrast. And then you land and say, this is my best roster. And the manager will go, yeah, but you had Johnny on and you had, you know, Michael on. What? Why? And then he'll ask, he'll ask the assistants, the people he trusts to sort of make a case for those guys and he'll listen and he'll take that on board and then we'll discuss and

[B]

I think what also people don't realize, and this doesn't happen probably anymore with someone like poaching him. But in the past there was, I'm not sure there was, I would say there was a political like, angle to it, like where people are angling and like, if we take this guy, it's this. And if we don't take that guy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But there was a point in the past where with agents or other people around, like, I won't say lobbying, but in the coach's ear or like, you should definitely bring this guy or bring that guy and stuff like that would definitely happen. I don't think it happens as much or if at all anymore. Right. I can't see Pochettino being like, oh,

[A]

well, no, I think certain countries probably.

[B]

Probably. Yeah, yeah. There's some, there's some lobbying going on for different reasons. And yeah. And then with a 26 man roster. So in the past, what we're used to was 23 man rosters and there would always be three goalkeepers and then you had 20 spots. And the thinking, the common thinking was basically two people for every spot.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

But it's not that straightforward. And we talked about the strikers, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Does he take four strikers now? Even though it's a 26 man roster? You'd say, okay, four is, you can, you can handle taking four. Maybe he takes three and he takes other people elsewhere. And this is where, and this is a big part of it. This is where your versatility comes in as a player. Right. Can you play two or three or sometimes four positions? And I always use this example. I was not a midfielder going into 2002, but I do remember Bruce saying, hey, in the first game, we want to get you on the field, but the only way we can do that is if you play on the right side of midfield. And I was like, done put me like, I'll, I'll do, figure out whatever I need to do. I'll defend. And now some guys are like, well, I'm a 10. I only play as a 10. You get on the field where you can get on the field. And so your ability to play multiple positions is very valuable.

[A]

I, I have always said I'm, I'm not a very good left back, but if a manager said, I can't play in goal today, but you can play left back, I'd be like, sure, I'm in. Get. Put me on the field. And you know, the, the interesting thing about this team, and we're not talking specifically about this team, but I will, I don't, I don't think this US team will have three, will have four strikers. So I was sort of in doubt. With all of our help, our strikers healthy, I was sort of in doubt that Flo, Haji, Aja, Mang and Pepe would all go. I thought one would not go for whatever reason. I don't know what my guts tell me sort of how he, maybe he hasn't played these guys when. When the opportunity was presented to play them. So in my mind I was thinking he's only going to take three. Three of those four. And now that Aja Mang's been injured, I'm now thinking I don't know if he's going to supplement the roster with the fifth best striker. Right. So they had four.

[B]

I don't think he is.

[A]

No, I think they're going to take

[B]

three because he's not brought any of those guys in recently. Right.

[A]

So no.

[B]

So I think when. Look, when I. And this is on a very different scale. It wasn't a tournament, but when I was coaching at Loyal, you had an 18 man roster.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Or at sometimes 20. When you go into making the decisions, there's a variety of factors that it's not just who's the best player for today. Sometimes it was okay, if we have zero chance of playing the 20th guy, maybe we put a 16 or 17 year old on the roster just to experience it and see what's happening. Right. And when you have 26 spots, the assumption, this is the assumption you're not. The assumption isn't that we're going to be playing eight games in this tournament. The assumption is probably we'll play four or five and hopefully six. And if there's a miracle and we get to the eighth game, great. Eight games. Right. This time. Yeah. So the assumption is we can do with 13 or 14 or 15 or 16 players and get through four, five, six games. So now you have six, seven, eight, 10 extra spots on the roster.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And this is where all these things come into play. Is he a good teammate? Does he have. I would always say, does he have a superstar quality? So for instance, if you have a goalie who's out of his mind at saving penalties, and I know we can debate on whether you would bring him in at the end of the game or not, but just is so elite at that. If you have a winger who just 1v1 is so dominant, doesn't defend well, so you don't want to play him for night, but he's so dominant. Can you do that? Do you have a guy who's 6 foot 6 at the end of the game to defend your box or to go attack and try to score goals, there's all these, like if you have a superstar quality can get you on the roster in any way. Do you think who we play dictate like in the NFL, who's in your division dictates like maybe the type of quarterback or the type of pass or the type of team you put together because you're playing these same teams. And that's what decides everything, really. The goal has to be getting out of the group and winning the group. So does any of that play in?

[A]

No, because I don't think the U. Like, I don't think the US Is good enough or has ever been good enough where they can have that luxury. Have that luxury. I think the US has to play at its best, optimal performance every time out. I don't think they can chop and change where, like, I think England can. Right. You could sit behind the ball, you can. You can counterattack, or you can go, look, we've got, like, three of the best wingers in the world. We're gonna. We're gonna go for it this game. We don't necessarily have the ability to chop and change or probably shouldn't. Yeah, I mean, I sort of think towards the bat, you know, And I think the hard decisions. Ld Aren't even, like, the bulk of the roster, I think.

[B]

No, no, no. Definitely not.

[A]

I think the hard decisions are like, the back end.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Because you're like. Because oftentimes, and you know this, a more talented player will miss out on the back end of the roster for a glue guy, for a guy who's like. And. And coaches say this, like, completely in the open. Like, this guy trains every day. Because at a World cup, and Bob Bradley spoke about this at a World cup, it gets long. You start to get into the later opening rounds, round of 32, 16. You got to go to training day after a game. You got to get. You know, you want a guy. Like, with all due respect to Christian Roldan, who we like, whether he gets on the field during a World cup or not, the day after a game, if the team loses or draws, he's going to be the first guy in training clapping his hands, getting guys motivated, sticking into a tackle, like. And that's important to the crucial overall.

[B]

Yeah, the morale and, like, on the bus in the meal room and. And we saw this a little in 22, and we never got, like, the full. Full story, but obviously a lot of stuff came out with Gio Reina behind the scenes and how a negative impact can impact a team and the other side is a positive impact. And there were guys. Bruce did it every time. Like, there was a guy or two weren't sure was going to play, but he was going to be amazing in training every day and great energy.

[A]

Well, you bring up a really good point. Managers. Some managers have so much on their plate when they're selecting a roster. Oftentimes they'll select a player to handle crap that they don't want to handle. Right. That's a perfect example. Who, in. In 2022, who was equipped to handle the Gio Reina situation? Nobody. Whereas in, in years past, there would have been a player already on the roster and the coach would have gone,

[B]

can you, hey, you take care of him?

[A]

Can you please go sort him out?

[B]

Yeah, that's so. That's so.

[A]

And the. And the senior player would have. Would have told the younger players, listen, you stay out of it. You stay out of it. I'll handle it. And then you look the player in the eye and go, hey, this is on me now. So, like, let's go.

[B]

That's right. Is it worth, like, for a coach, is it worth the headache? Right? Is the talent worth the headache? Sometimes you have to ask yourself. And a lot of times they say there's so much going on in a World cup, that is the last thing I want to worry about now. The kid is so talented, is going to play every minute and whatever, then you kind of deal with it. But if it's not, you go, this ain't worth it. Do you remember how you found out about your getting on the team, making the rosters?

[A]

No, because I was always going. So it's not like I don't.

[B]

No, you didn't.

[A]

2002. 2002, I was on the cusp. So they took Brad Friedo, Casey Keller and Tony Meola. And I was alternate to that squad.

[B]

But the other, the other three.

[A]

Right. And so I think I found out from Bruce, maybe I found out from Bruce that like a phone call or something, but the other one knew I was going. Like, I was. I was. I was solid as a number two for 2006 and the solid starter, 10 and 16. So I mean, physically found as a

[B]

goalie, actually, because if you're always like two or one. Yeah, right.

[A]

I mean, I think I physically found out because you get called into. I think you get called into a meeting, right? Like an individual meeting and told.

[B]

I got, I got phone call into 02. I think it was Dave Sarin, the assistant, who called me in 02. And I had no clue. Like, I knew I was playing well and had played in a bunch of games, but I had no clue. So getting that call is. I can't tell you how life changing that call is, dude. It is incredible. I called my mom right away. She was crying. I mean, it's like when you see players get drafted, you know, in the NFL stuff, and it's just like this overwhelming moment that you can't believe. Hot takes cold coke, Open seas. Your Carnival cruise is waiting. Visit carnival.com unfiltered and enter for your chance to win a Carnival Cruise.