Bruce Arena’s USMNT 24-Man Roster Announced For World Cup Qualifiers, Includes Clint Dempsey

U.S. Men’s National Team manager Bruce Arena has unveiled his roster for the squad’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying games later this month.

U.S. Men’s National Team Roster for World Cup Qualifiers Announced

Arena took over as the USMNT’s head coach following a 2-1 defeat to Mexico and a brutal 4-0 loss to Costa Rica during the previous qualifying round in November, after which Jurgen Klinsmann was fired as the man in charge of the team.

Here are the 24 players on the roster, which includes the return of forward Clint Dempsey, who missed the November Qualifiers for next year’s tournament in Russia, as well as the rest of the MLS season due to heart issues. Dempsey last played for the national team during last summer’s Copa America Centenario. The American men will play Honduras in San Jose, California on March 24, and then travels to face Panama on March 28.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)

DEFENDERS (8): John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dyamo), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham), Jorge Villafana (Santos Laguna), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Bobby Wood (Hamburg)

Jermaine Jones, who is 35, and Dempsey and Beasley, who are both 34, are among the oldest players on the roster aside from the three goalies.

Howard is still recovering from a leg injury, although Arena said if he practices well and is good to go, there remains no reason why he shouldn’t be able to play.

DeAndre Yedlin is notably absent from the roster, as he is also recovering from an injury.

The U.S. currently sits at the bottom of the North/Central America and Caribbean hexagonal table with zero points from two games.

SEATTLE, WA – JUNE 16: Clint Dempsey #8 of the United States follows the play against against Ecuador during the 2016 Quarterfinal – Copa America Centenario match at CenturyLink Field on June 16, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)