Sergino Dest Joins the List of Notable Absentees for the USA Ahead of the Gold Cup

Sergino Dest, the United States defender, has been omitted from the squad for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup, joining a host of notable absences as head coach Mauricio Pochettino unveiled a team filled with new talent.

Forward Christian Pulisic had already chosen to sit out the tournament, alongside his AC Milan colleague Yunus Musah, while key players Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, and Tim Weah are unavailable due to commitments with the forthcoming Club World Cup.

Reports from US media indicated that Dest’s exclusion stems from fitness issues, following his return in March from an 11-month injury layoff after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear last year.

The absence of Dest means the US squad is primarily made up of younger players, with only a few experienced members remaining, such as goalkeeper Matt Turner, defender Tim Ream, and Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams.

Haji Wright from Coventry City stands out as the only forward in the squad with more than four senior international caps, boasting 15 appearances for the United States.

The squad features four players who have received their first call-up.

“We are incredibly eager to work with this group and fight for the championship,” Pochettino stated in a release.

“Our primary goal is to win the tournament and to demonstrate the right mentality and approach. We are confident that these players will seize this opportunity.”

Looking to regain their footing, the United States aims to bounce back after their pursuit of a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title ended in a semi-final loss to Panama in March.

The team also endured a disappointing performance in last year’s Copa America, failing to progress past the group stage, a result that ultimately led to the dismissal of former head coach Gregg Berhalter.

Before their opening group-stage clash against Trinidad and Tobago on June 15th, the team is slated to play friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland.