At just 16 years old, Cavan Sullivan is the headline name in Pochettino’s fall roster and the player every serious American soccer fan is tracking. The Philadelphia Union midfielder has been on an absolute tear in MLS since the summer World Cup break, racking up five goals and six assists in his last seven games — a run of form so sustained and so impressive that it made his call-up less of a surprise and more of a logical conclusion.

If he steps onto the pitch during this international window, he will become the second-youngest player to ever debut for the USMNT senior squad, trailing only Freddy Adu. That’s not a trivial distinction. The Freddy Adu comparison carries enormous weight in American soccer history, and the fact that Sullivan is earning it through current, verified performance rather than prospect reputation makes it considerably more meaningful.

Pochettino was characteristically direct when asked about the selection: “He deserves it, he deserves all the praise he’s getting. He is playing well, giving assists and scoring goals. He is 16. The important thing is to be with him and provide a solid pattern and support.”

Leaving the team’s biggest superstar off a healthy roster would be a rare and controversial move. But Pulisic isn’t fully healthy. The AC Milan forward suffered a microfracture in his lower leg during the World Cup this summer and has not yet started a single match in the current AC Milan season. He is still working his way back to full match fitness, and Pochettino made the pragmatic call to leave him out entirely so he can complete his recovery without the added pressure of international window travel and match demands.

This is not a statement about Pulisic’s standing in the squad. He remains the program’s most consequential offensive player when healthy. It is a statement about how Pochettino intends to manage player availability and long-term fitness in a cycle that has four years and multiple major tournaments ahead of it. Getting Pulisic fully fit for club and country is worth more than rushing him back for a September friendly against Peru.