The U.S. men's national soccer team opens its 2025 campaign with a friendly match against Venezuela on Saturday. USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino has called in a Major League Soccer-heavy roster for Saturday's match versus Venezuela as well as Wednesday's friendly against Concacaf rival Costa Rica.

Due to this game being outside of a FIFA window for international games, USMNT players from most leagues across the world haven't been released by their clubs to play. That is the same for Venezuela, with most of their stars for South America's surprise package in 2026 World Cup qualifying unavailable for this one.

Maduro’s calls for an invasion are a clear attempt to get rid of the United States presence and grow his influence in the area,” González-Colón wrote.

Puerto Rico’s new Republican governor is drawing attention to Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro’s military threats against the U.S. island in the wake of President-elect Trump’s calls for U.S. territorial expansion.