FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha has been named to Czechia’s 29-man roster ahead of two friendlies for the national team.
Czechia will play in this summer’s World Cup. They will play Kosovo May 31 in Prague, then according to local reports will cut the squad to the 26-player limit and leave for the United States.
The Czechs qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2006 after beating Ireland and Denmark in penalty kicks in the UEFA playoffs in March. Bucha was on the roster for both games but did not play.
Bucha is one of three players who were on the roster for the playoffs but did not see the pitch. There are three newcomers to the squad in the 29-main roster. According to wire reports, 23-year old attacking midfielder Adam Hložek from German Bundesliga (premier league) club Hoffenheim has recovered from a long-term injury to be included in the preliminary team. He missed most of the season due to calf and foot injuries but has been fit enough to test him in warmup games.
Bucha has been a mainstay in the lineup for FC Cincinnati. He has two goals in the MLS season. Noted as one of the best two-way midfielders in MLS by pundits, he has played a lot at right wingback in recent games, which head coach Pat Noonan said could help him win a roster spot for Czechia.
“For Pavel to be on the 29-man is a credit to the consistency he’s had with our group,” FC Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said. “This year particularly, the production, the versatility, being inside and playing on the flank I think that’s helped him because they see that they can use him in a different way.”
They will open the tournament against South Korea on June 12 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Their other Group A opponents are South Africa in Atlanta on June 18 and Mexico in Mexico City on June 25. The team will train in the Dallas area.
Noonan is optimistic that all of his players in contention for World Cup rosters will get their chance this summer. Here are the latest updates on others as the final roster decisions approach:
Miles Robinson’s injuries have reduced his chances for a USMNT bid
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino will announce his 26-man World Cup squad during a live event May 26 in Manhattan.
FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano seems to be on the outside looking in. The consensus among the experts has New York City’s Matt Turner and New England Revolution’s Matt Freese battling for the starting nod, with Chicago Fire’s Chris Brady getting the third roster spot.
Celentano made a big impression against Brady and Chicago in a 3-2 Cincy win at Soldier Field May 2. But it may not be enough, and Cincy’s netminder may need an injury from one of the others this weekend to get his chance.
Cincy center back Miles Robinson was considered a lock to make the roster over the winter, but dealing with injuries this season has set him back. Robinson is now on the bubble according to several pundits in projections published this week.
Those predictions didn’t take into account a recent injury to Chris Richards, who is considered the top center back on the roster. Richards, who plays for Crystal Palace in the English Premier League, injured an ankle May 17 in the team’s most recent game. He will miss his club’s EPL finale May 24. Crystal Palace plays in the UEFA Conference League final on May 27, which all USMNT fans will be keeping an eye on to see if Richards plays.
The main question according to the experts is what kind of formation Pochettino goes with. He has been experimenting with four center backs in recent months. But if he sticks with his preferred lineup of three center backs, then Robinson may not get a spot in favor of a player who is as comfortable playing outside on the wings as he is playing on the back line.
Paul Tenorio of The Athletic believes this. He wrote, “Despite the tinkering in the March window, I think Pochettino is going to lean into the hybrid back line that builds out of a back three and defends in a four.”
Alejandro Bedoya, currently in his 11th season as a midfielder for the Philadelphia Union, wrote a guest column for the MLS web site handicapping the USMNT roster. He said, “(Robinson) just hasn’t been fully healthy for FC Cincinnati, and it’s hard to bring a center back who’s not consistently playing 90 minutes.”
Tom Bogert from The Athletic has Robinson making the roster.
“For the final center-back slot, Miles Robinson has athleticism and an ability to defend in space, and he can hold up if defending from a right-back role against the ball,” Bogert wrote. “But he has not played 90 minutes in a game since March 8, which is concerning.”
Seth Vertelney from USA Todayalso has Robinson making the final roster, noting he “provide(s) center back depth and may just be on the right side of the bubble.” As does Chuck Booth from CBS Sports, who says, “Robinson is someone who Pochettino values in defense. He may not start many games, but Robinson has been among the first names that Pochettino looks to to close out matches, which is a valuable skill. Robinson has dealt with injuries this season, but he’s back starting for the squad when it matters.”
Robinson is an interesting case as the highest-paid center back in MLS, and a Designated Player in FC Cincinnati’s roster structure.
Of Robinson, Noonan noted, “That’s so unique to the national teams and the depth you have at certain positions, what you value, what you need,” he said. “There’s so much that goes into it. Are you good enough or not good enough? To me, he’s good enough. He’s good enough to have (the DP) tag and he’s good enough to be on the World Cup team.”
In the World Cup group stage, the USMNT will play Paraguay June 12 in Los Angeles, Australia June 19 in Seattle, and Turkey June 25 in LA.
Bryan Ramirez hopes to crack Ecuador lineup
FC Cincinnati left wingback Bryan Ramirez, 25, has been called up to Ecuador’s senior national team multiple times in the past year, but has not made an appearance. He spent four seasons playing professionally in his home country before coming to Cincinnati in early 2026.
Ecuador will officially announce its final World Cup roster on May 30. Head coach Sebastián Beccacece delayed the announcement to the last possible moment to evaluate the physical condition of 10 key players who are finishing up their respective club seasons.
Ecuador is widely considered as a darkhorse contender for the title.
Defense is a big strength for Ecuador. They conceded just five goals in 18 qualifying matches. They are led by European club stars, Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo and Paris Saint-Germain’s Willian Pacho.
Goal.com has Ramirez as one of 13 players listed as defender who could contend for a spot, but given the country’s strength in the back line, he may need to show his versatility on the attack to have a chance.
Ecuador plays Ivory Coast June 14 in Philadelphia, Curaçao June 20 in Kansas City and Germany June 25 in New Jersey.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Updating the World Cup outlook for FC Cincinnati stars
