The U.S. men’s national team may be without key leader Tyler Adams for March’s pair of home friendlies, but there is zero shortage of experience in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield corps. Cristian Roldan is one veteran seeking to make his second-consecutive FIFA World Cup this summer as the Americans prepare for the tournament. Roldan, 30, is only one of 10 players in the current squad that was part of the 2022 World Cup roster in Qatar, remaining in Pochettino’s plans over the past year. While Adams’ presence is missed, Roldan expects the competition to be high among the midfielders in camp. “I think with the absence of Tyler, look, it’s a huge gap,” said Roldan on a conference call with media on Tuesday. “Tyler brings a whole lot to our team; his energy, his ability to tackle, cover ground, his leadership, and now it’s time for the rest of the midfielder just to fill that void.“I think that the midfield position is quite competitive,” he added. “I mean, when you talk about guys like [Weston McKennie] and [Tanner Tessmann] playing so well. You have guys like [Sebastian Berhalter] and [Aidan Morris] playing so well. And then you have Johnny [Cardoso] playing for Atlético. And for me, it’s how can I compete? How can I put myself in a good spot before the World Cup, put myself in the best spot possible to make that squad?”Roldan has earned 43 caps to date for the USMNT, remaining a consistent performer in MLS with the Seattle Sounders. After delivering back-to-back club seasons with 40 or more appearances, Roldan has featured seven times in Brian Schmetzer’s squad this year as he closes in on 400 for his career. The growing number of in-form midfielders entering March’s camp could hamper Roldan’s playing time against Belgium and Portugal, but overall he’s just ready to help in anyway possible. “But listen, if my name isn’t called, I’m going to be the best teammate I can be, and I fully expect the rest of the midfielders to do so,” Roldan said. “But the level of competition is there. The level of competition that we’re going to face on the field is there. So this is a great opportunity for all of us to test ourselves against a really good competition.”The USMNT only have four matches remaining before World Cup play begins against Paraguay on June 12. Following their Atlanta showdowns over the next week, the Americans will travel back to their clubs one final time before Pochettino names his final roster this May. Although injury replacements could be named during the squad’s final window against Senegal and Germany, mostly all of the World Cup spots will be decided before the USMNT takes the pitch in Charlotte later this spring. Roldan may be one of the older players in the squad, but he believes experience in the squad is vital heading into a major competition like the World Cup. “It’s always important to have experience on the team because results, moments in games, things happen,” Roldan said. “Whether it’s conceding a goal or picking up your teammate next to you, it’s really important to have those guys that have been there to pick up the team, to fall back on that experience. And look, there’s going to be a lot of pressure at the World Cup. We’re obviously hosting it, we’re in good form. There’s a lot of expectation within our locker room, so falling back on the experience is going to be vital when the pressure comes and you need a result.“We’re sure that we have enough experience, have enough guys that have played in big moments, especially in Europe,” he added. “So I think we’re all ready and we’re focused on having a really good camp.”