Brad Friedel already knows who Mauricio Pochettino’s USA goalkeeper should be.Friedel, who earned 82 caps for the US Men’s National Team and spent 16 seasons in the Premier League, also knows where Timothy Weah should be playing when the biggest World Cup in history begins. Brad Friedel helped lead USA to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinalsgettyIt all starts with Balogun as USMNT striker “(Folarin) Balogun, I would start as the nine,” Friedel exclusively told talkSPORT. “(Christian) Pulisic on one side, (Timothy) Weah on the other. I would play Weah as a winger, not as a right back. “I know Mauricio has played him as right back. Also, if Mauricio wants to play three in the back, then Tim Weah is a very good wing back and Antonee Robinson is a very good wing back, so you can do that.”Thomas Tuchel shook up the United Kingdom on Friday when England’s 2026 World Cup roster was revealed.USMNT will need Pulisic firing for a successful World Cup runtalksportPochettino is set to announce USMNT’s roster on Tuesday during a nationally televised event in New York City that will serve as an early example of how ‘USA! USA! USA!’-centric this expensive World Cup could become. There are obvious locks for Pochettino and several looming question marks, especially after it was reported that Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake) will be left off the USMNT World Cup roster. talkSPORT sat down with Friedel in London to get his view on how USMNT should line up, before he joins talkSPORT’s World Cup coverage team that includes former England international Kyle Walker, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, Everton boss David Moyes and USMNT correspondent Ben Jacobs. “I would put Alex Freeman, who’s at Villarreal, right back,” Friedel said. “The other center back for me, it could be a rotational system depending on who you’re playing against. Could be Miles Robinson. It could be Mark McKenzie. It could be Tim Ream, for some experience.Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards are key for USA“The two main players in our back four … are Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards. They make everyone better around them.”Friedel revealed the starting XI that Mauricio Pochettino should use in the World CupgettyFriedel is one of the best keepers in USMNT historygettyTyler Adams must ‘be fit’ for the World Cup and is influential on USMNTAFPRichards’ World Cup status was thrown into doubt after the Crystal Palace star suffered torn ligaments in his ankle.He missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to a leg injury and spent years preparing for a 104-match event that will bounce from Mexico and Canada to Kansas City on the way toward becoming the biggest sports tournament in history. “It’s a bit cliché — you get knocked down, you keep getting up,” Richards exclusively told talkSPORT in March. “That’s exactly the mentality that I had. And every time I’ve faced a setback in my career, I’ve kind of always looked back to the 16-year-old Chris who didn’t make it to FC Dallas. Just the same mentality — just keep going.”Matt Freese will be goalie but Chris Brady is name to watchFriedel represented the USA in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups, while playing for Liverpool, Blackburn, Aston Villa and Tottenham in a Premier League career that ran from 1997 to 2014.He began his 2026 USMNT starting XI at his old position. “In goal, I believe it’ll be Matt Freese,” Friedel said. USMNT 26-Man SquadHere is Mauricio Pochettino's 26-man squad for the World Cup, per talkSPORT's Ben Jacobs:Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps) Weston McKennie (Juventus), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)Attacking midfielders/wingers: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Christian Pulisic (Milan), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen) Tim Weah (Marseille), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América)Strikers: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV), Haji Wright (Coventry City)“There’s a young goalkeeper named Chris Brady who is exceptionally talented. But he hasn’t been capped yet. So I think it might be difficult to play him in the two games and then play him. So I think Matt Freese will be in goal.”An ankle injury to Johnny Cardoso could lead Pochettino to use a 4-3-3 system, Friedel said. Two of USMNT’s biggest names must be ready for the first minute of a Group D opener vs Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium, and then remain in top form as June turns into July.Brad Friedel’s predicted USMNT XI ahead of the Group D opener vs Paraguay on June 12Adams and McKennie must ‘be fit’ for World Cup run“One of our influential players is Tyler Adams. He’s got to be fit,” Friedel said at the talkSPORT studios. “Weston McKennie has got to be fit.”Australia and Turkey are also on USMNT’s Group Stage schedule, and some have predicted that Pochettino’s squad could reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 (1-0 loss to Germany).The US will begin its 2026 World Cup campaign at SoFi Stadium in Los AngelesAFPView Tweet: https://t.co/4S3W6GIiTzTwenty-four years later, Pochettino correctly filling out his USMNT midfield is critical for a thrilling summer in the USA. “With Johnny getting injured — because that would have been my pick as a three — it will be very interesting to see,” Friedel said. “Aidan Morris had a really good season at Middlesbrough. But the other players that Mauricio has chosen — he’s gone away from (Yunus) Musah and it looks like he’ll have (Cristian) Roldan … or something like that. So that’s the one position for me that I really don’t have solidified.”