How Alex Zendejas, USMNT's No. 26, earned his World Cup moment after months of uncertainty

Alex Zendejas, 28, has secured a spot on the 26-man USMNT World Cup roster despite being left out of recent national team camps and facing significant uncertainty about his inclusion. Assigned the No. 26 jersey, Zendejas is expected to serve as a potential X factor for the United States. Mauricio Pochettino announced the roster on Tuesday in New York, with teammate Cristian Roldan joking that both players were among the last confirmed selections.