CHICAGO ― The hall where Gregg Berhalter spoke Friday at the United Soccer Coaches convention was packed to the gills 10 minutes before he took the stage. But the buzz in the hundreds-deep crowd offered no hints about how the former U.

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Fire FC is dealing with yet another coaching change—hoping that a soccer-lifer with ties to the area can spark a turnaround with the flickering franchise.

The players on that list of Spanish speakers in the USMNT who have been called up or are options for Mauricio Pochettino are: Josh Atencio, Luca De la Torre, Diego Luna, Cade Cowell, Alex Zendejas, Benjamin Cremaschi, Brian Gutierrez, Jesus Ferreira, Diego Kochen, Brandon Vazquez, Ricardo Pepi, Kevin Paredes and Jonathan Gomez.

Mauricio Pochettino joked about plans to call up Lionel Messi's sons in the United States national football team - citing how it could be a tough task given their allegiance to Argentina

However, as former manager Gregg Berhalter looked back on his time coaching the USMNT recently it goes to show that there's still significant room for growth for the men's side. Berhalter took ...

Just four members of the USMNT's January roster worked with coach Mauricio Pochettino previously. But players' familiarity with each over could prove crucial before next year's World Cup on home soil.

For coach Mauricio Pochettino, Saturday's friendly against Venezuela will provide a clearer idea of where many of the USMNT's 2026 World Cup hopefuls stand.

Costa Rica faces the USA in Orlando under new coach Miguel Herrera, as both CONCACAF rivals field domestic-based squads in this international friendly

Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine coach tasked with leading the U.S. national team through the 2026 World Cup, said he and his staff have been quite impressed with the level of play from the MLS players at camp in Fort Lauderdale this week.

Several players have left the USMNT's January training camp in recent days, but the ones who remain have a huge opportunity to impress coach Mauricio Pochettino in two upcoming friendly games.

GOAL looks at five key players who need a January move to secure a potential spot on the USMNT's 2026 World Cup roster

The U.S. men's national soccer team opens its 2025 campaign with a friendly match against Venezuela on Saturday. Follow here for live updates.