Brenden Aaronson woke up at 2:30 a.m. on his wedding night and drove back to training camp. That's the kind of week it's been for the Leeds United midfielder — and he wouldn't change a thing.
Named to Mauricio Pochettino's 26-man USMNT roster for FIFA World Cup 2026, the 25-year-old squeezed a wedding into what was already a packed stretch of roster reveals, training sessions, and international friendlies. He married Milana, his girlfriend since they were 16, at a venue on Long Beach Island in New Jersey — less than an hour from where he grew up in Medford.
He arrived an hour and a half late to his own dress rehearsal. Priorities.
The scheduling nightmare nobody planned for
The couple booked their venue two-and-a-half years ago. The conflict only became apparent this past winter when U.S. Soccer published its friendly schedule against Senegal and Germany. What followed was a genuine panic.
"Her face flushed, my face flushed, we were kind of freaking out," Aaronson said. He'd already told Pochettino about the wedding back in March — offered to change the date entirely if that's what it took to make the squad. The coach didn't need him to. That kind of open-door relationship with a manager matters, and Aaronson was candid about how rare it can be.
"He's humane too, so he knows that it's not easy being a footballer. It was an easy conversation to have with them."
His younger brother Paxten, a forward with Colorado Rapids, was best man. Aaronson got to meet extended family he hasn't seen much of while living and playing in England. Then he left before sunrise.
Now he wants minutes against Germany
Aaronson dressed for the 3-2 win over Senegal in Charlotte but didn't feature. Coming off what he calls the best club season of his career — leading Leeds in assists as they finished 14th in the Premier League, comfortably clear of any relegation trouble — he's in form and he knows it.
The Germany friendly is his target. With 57 caps, he's one of the more experienced players on this roster, and Pochettino will need depth that can actually influence games at a home World Cup. Aaronson's ability to drive forward and create in tight spaces is exactly the profile that becomes valuable when tournament knockout pressure hits.
"I'm really looking forward to being able to, hopefully, show myself against Germany," he said. "And if not, going into the trainings and showing what I can."
He got married days before a World Cup camp. Left his wedding night at 2:30 in the morning. Barely slept. His wife, to her credit, didn't blink.
"She knows how many days we've been through doing all the football stuff. For her to be as cool as she is is amazing."
