USMNT midfielder didn't let his wedding get in way of World Cup prep

USMNT midfielder Brenden Aaronson turned his wedding weekend into a logistical sprint, squeezing in one of the biggest personal milestones of his life without stepping away from the final stages of World Cup preparations.The Leeds United winger was given permission to leave U.S.men’s national team camp in Georgia for his wedding in Manahawkin, N.J., as Mauricio Pochettino’s squad ramps up its build-up to the 2026 World Cup, including a friendly against Senegal during the same window.But the timing left little room for celebration.

Camp had been moved forward after Aaronson’s wedding date was already set, creating an unavoidable clash during a key training phase as players continued to compete for places in the squad.Aaronson, who married his longtime partner Milana D’Ambra, still made the trip to New Jersey, though the schedule was tight from the start.He arrived late to his rehearsal dinner, went through the ceremony on Friday, and left at around 2:30 a.m.

on his wedding night in order to get back toward national team duty.He then travelled by car to Philadelphia before continuing on to rejoin the USMNT in Atlanta, making it back in time for training on Saturday as preparations continued for the Senegal friendly.The quick turnaround meant Aaronson effectively split the weekend between family celebrations and one of the most important periods of his international career, with little recovery time in between.Despite the disruption, he remained part of camp under Pochettino, who is using the final run of friendlies — including matches against Senegal and Germany — to assess roles and shape his World Cup squad.The 23-year-old, coming off a solid season in the Premier League, is competing for minutes in a crowded midfield and attacking group as the U.S.finalizes its plans ahead of the tournament next month....