The USA’s Olympic-bound men’s U-23 team recently completed a successful March window that included a comfortable 3-0 win over Guinea followed by a thrilling 2-2 comeback draw against a French team that will host the tournament this summer. But even more importantly for the results, we learned more about the team, the style of play, and the coaches.
This Olympic cycle is very quick. There are only four dedicated camps for this team with the U.S. national team’s January camp also supplementing the team’s preparation. The March camp, was the third of four camps. In June, the team will have its final camp and at that point we should have most of the final team together, including the three overage “wild card” players
Coach Marko Mitrovic should feel encouraged about this team’s performances this window. The team showed it’s preparing well to compete at the Olympics. But making this team is going to be extremely difficult and there are some factors to consider.
Roster size and age limits: As of now, the roster for the Olympics is 18 players (16 field players, two goalkeepers). The team is mostly a U-23 team; players born in 2001 or later. But the team is allowed to include three overage exceptions within the 18-player roster.
It’s important to note that less than a month before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, FIFA expanded the roster (though not game-day squad) to 22 (while keeping the overage limit of three). There hasn’t been any indication yet FIFA will expand the roster, but it’s certainly possible. For now, Mitrovic is proceeding with the mindset of 18 players.
Club releases: The biggest hurdle in building any Olympic or youth team is getting clubs to release players. Club releases are non-mandatory. The Olympic tournament will run from July 24-August 10 and that overlaps with preseason (and qualifying for UEFA competitions) for clubs in Europe. For MLS and Liga MX, it is also not during league season, but rather during the break for Leagues Cup. Still, it is not easy. But in recent interviews, Mitrovic said he felt optimistic about the process of securing releases.
USMNT conflict: For some of the best U.S. players in the U-23 age group, the Olympics becomes unlikely because they’re locks to be with the full national team, which will compete in the Copa America. This would include players like Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Johnny Cardoso. After them, you have players more likely to be with the Copa but who still have an Olympic chance, such as Ricardo Pepi, Kristoffer Lund, Joe Scally. Then you have players who could go either way, such as Kevin Paredes, Paxten Aaronson, Gaga Slonina. Also, Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun complicate their Olympic eligibility due to the nature of the games they played for Germany and England’s U-21 teams, respectively.
While the Olympics and the Copa America do not overlap, it is extremely hard to envision a scenario where players would play in both tournaments. Doing so would likely require a 7-8 week commitment from players during the summer and clubs would likely not allow that.
In other words, there are a lot of moving parts right now to make this team. But it is clear that most of the 15 age-eligible players will come from the most recent roster. The March roster of 22 players was the product of the talent identification from the first two camps last fall and then the January camp. The fact that the team played well will make it harder for U-23 players who hadn’t been a part of the previous camps to break in.
It will take a special run of performances over the next two months to get a call-up to June, where the only likely newcomers will be the overage players.
With that said, here is the latest projected roster for the U.S. men’s Olympic team for Paris.
Projected Roster
Goalkeepers
1. Gaga Slonina
2. Patrick Schulte
In the Mix: Chris Brady, John Pulskamp
Between Slonina, Schulte, and Brady, it is an outstanding class of U-23 American goalkeepers who all could make the USMNT someday. Unfortunately, only two will go to Paris and it seems like Slonina and Schulte are the most likely. Brady only made the March roster due to a Slonina injury. He did well against Guinea but Schulte made some big saves against France.
Central Defenders
3. Walker Zimmerman (overage)
4. Mark McKenzie (overage)
5. Maximillian Dietz
In the mix: James Sands (overage), Jalen Neal, George Campbell, Jonathan Tomkinson
Central defense is the area for this team that most needs to be bolstered by overage picks because there are only two U-23 players in George Campbell or Maximillian Dietz who have been playing regular first-team minutes at a high level (any first division, or top European second divisions) since last summer. Jalen Neal was once thought to be a key player here but he hasn’t played since last July due to injury.
Of those overage options, Mitrovic will look to the USMNT pool among players not at the Copa America. Walker Zimmerman checks a lot of boxes if he comes back from his recent surgery well. He has World Cup experience, he’s been a captain for club and country, and he could be released. Mark McKenzie would also be a strong pick if he can be released, but it’s not clear what club he will be at next season as a move from Genk seems likely. If McKenzie doesn’t go, James Sands seems like a good alternative.
Of the U-23s, Dietz is in the midst of a decent season at Greuther Furth and could be a backup.
Outside backs
6. Bryan Reynolds
7. John Tolkin
8. Nathan Harriel
In the mix: Caleb Wiley, George Bello, Jonathan Gomez
Notes: It’s been trending that Reynolds and Tolkin are going to be the starting outside backs. Caleb Wiley will probably not make the cut if Kevin Paredes makes the team. Paredes is still mostly a winger, but he can be an adequate backup left back. If Paredes isn’t released for the Olympics, Wiley probably sneaks back in.
Meanwhile, Harriel had a nice camp in March that included the opening goal against Guinea. He’s not flashy but he’s competent. His main position is right back but he can also cover in central defense or left back if needed. On an 18-player roster, having a very versatile player is very valuable.
Central midfielders
9. Tanner Tessmann
10. Gianluca Busio
11. Aidan Morris
12. Jack McGlynn
In the mix: Rokas Pukstas, Josh Atencio, Daniel Edelman, Obed Vargas
Among the No. 6 defensive midfielder and No. 8 box-to-box positions, it seems to be trending heavily for Tessmann, Busio, McGlynn and Morris to make the team. Rokas Pukstas becomes a very difficult cut with his strong season at Hajduk Split, but the fact he has yet to play or train with this team makes it hard for him to make it this summer. Still, Pukstas has a chance down the stretch, but he has tough competition in the No. 8 positions with Busio and McGlynn. Josh Atencio is probably the top alternate in the deeper positions currently occupied by Tessmann and Morris.
Wingers/attacking midfielders
13. Paxten Aaronson
14. Kevin Paredes
15. Griffin Yow
16. Cade Cowell
In the mix: Taylor Booth, Esmir Bajraktarevic, Diego Luna, Benja Cremaschi, Bernard Kamungo, Brian Gutierrez, Quinn Sullivan, Cole Bassett, Zach Booth
Without a doubt, this is the most competitive part of the team where a number of highly qualified players are going for only a few spots. Yow was an outsider prior to this window, and his monster camp puts him firmly on the inside. Aaronson should be in a good spot this summer now that he’s playing regularly with Dutch club Vitesse on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt. As for his release from Eintracht this summer, don’t expect a repeat of last summer when he wasn’t let go for the U-20 World Cup.
Paredes is a coin-toss with his release from Wolfsburg. The fact he was with the Olympic team this camp over the Nations League probably is a signal he’s more likely seen as a U-23 player through the summer. He also provides cover for the left back position.
There are a lot of tough cuts here. Taylor Booth might be the toughest cut given his USMNT experience and his versatility, but he’s injured and missing this camp puts him in a tough position. What he needs at this point is to come back strong, and hope others on this list cool off (or have the roster expand to 22).
Diego Luna is a tough cut, but again, numbers run short. The same with Bernard Kamungo and Brian Gutierrez, who would make it any other year. As for players like Esmir Bajraktarevic and Benja Cremaschi, they are good players who spent time with this team while playing up an Olympic cycle. They’re probably best for the U-20 team and then the Olympics in 2028.
Center Forwards
17. Duncan McGuire
16. Brandon Vazquez (overage)
In the mix: Johan Gomez, Kahveh Zahiroleslam, Damion Downs
Notes: While he didn’t score this camp, McGuire remains the best U-23 player in the Olympic pool unless Pepi shifts down, a scenario perhaps slightly more likely with the return of Haji Wright to the USMNT fold and if Josh Sargent continues his club form. (And the long relationship Earnie Stewart, the director of Pepi’s PSV Eindhoven, has had with U.S. Soccer could smooth the club’s release.)
But the team would also benefit from bringing an overage goalscoring option and Brandon Vazquez checks a lot of boxes given that Monterrey would likely release him (due to the Leagues Cup schedule and not Liga MX) and Vazquez knows many of the players from his time in MLS.
One potential option for Mitrovic could be to not bring McGuire, and then bring another winger/attacking midfielder because Cowell could play the No. 9 as a second position, but it would still be risky to go into the tournament without two pure No. 9 forwards. They need firepower up top.
Brian; Double Check… I Believe Scally is ONE Day on the WRONG Side of the Cut-Off. 12-31-2002
IF, Haji and Sargent and Vazquez Continue to be so hot, and Balo, So Cold… Along with Pepi Limited Playing Time with PSV and USMNT; Send the Both to Olympics (If Balo is Eligible ???){If Not, Switch Vazquez and Balo}
Non-Starting u23 should go to Olympics.
Cardoso to Olympics and Maloney to Copa.
Musah to Olympics and LDLT to Copa.
Tillman should play Down, cause he’s just gonna sit the Bench at Copa, But; We don’t have a #10 Back-up to Gio, So he probably has to play Copa{Unless Luciano Acosta gets his Passport in Time}
There is NO Reason that u23 Bench Warmers should SIT at Copa instead of Bring Home THE GOLD.!!!
Oh, I forgot Lund… Jedi Gonna play 90 plus minutes EVERY Game, and Dest or Scally can Cover for Jedi…
“IF” you wanted to bring another Outside back for Copa, Ggg could bring back his EVER Available “Black Hole” Shut-Down Artist SHAQ MOORE.!!!(some what Sarcastic, but not a Terrible Scenario)
Ggg could just Skip a Replacement Back as Weah could Drop back or even McKenNie or GIO, as we Know, HE LOVES IT BACK THERE.!!!…Jajaja 🤣
As for O-23; If GGG takes Ream, Richards, mRob, CCV to Copa…
We still need the CBs from that Age Group for Olympics.
Ream Can Play both; I’m sure that Fulham will “Honor” his Service to the Club, as he’s basically on a Retirement Contract this Year.
Trusty and McKenZIE would be the Next 2 (Neal would be Only u23 CB I would bring, but with 18 player Roster, his “Unavailability” by LA-G my come back to Bite him in the Arse)
My Olympic “Dream Team” Roster;
**********Balo(Pepi)
Cowell*******Paredes(pAaronson)
*******Busio(McGlynn)
*************Musah
********Cardoso(Tessman)
Lund**********Reynolds(Harriel)
*****Ream(Trusty)**McKenZIE
******|Slonina (Schulte) |
Oops… Tillman for pAaronson
How about we not take any overage players?
Tempting… But the CBs we have at that age are are “Sketchy” and Un-Tried… Why Risk it, If you don’t have to.??? … If it was a Pure u23, No Problem… But France is Pushing Real Madrid to get Camavinga, “Touche”mani and Mbappe.!?!?!?
Gonna be interesting to see if France can Convince them… Madrid already said NO, but Mbappe hasn’t signed Yet… Probably one of the Sticking Points .. and if you let One go, How can you Not let the Other 2 go ???
Lotta good stuff Santi. I cannot believe they do not take Luna – he – and Cowell – literally got them in this competition. We’ll see. Big issue there with CB – MLS team Academies flopping on development in this category – Brian knows this better than anyone. Also notice the GKs – one of the three is MLS academy product – but – outliers – probably developed in Chicago Polish community with trainer – what GKs have Chicago ID-Cultivate-Dev before and after? The other two – bespoke non-MLS team Academy – Europe and College. It really is screaming in the face that MLS club academies – struggling to Id, cultivate and develop CBs and GKs and anyway – in our MNT is it not clear – both FBs are 100% developed abroad – so this position is also an issue. Just watching these four camps – the fans, the players, the staff, they learn and grow so much, for Klinsmann, could not be bothered. Now you get a clear reminder why the Olympics – even tho – its – not run by FIFA – and they don’t like it – as they get not money from it – so anyway the roster changes Brian – pretty sure they do not come from FIFA – rather Olympics – Lausanne – not – Zurich amigo. Good day.
The last MNT player I recall dribbling to the endline and turning the corner is Dest. Not a US product.
Regarding males, the US doesn’t produce skilled wingers. So they are not going to produce skilled fullbacks either.
Crossing skill is necessary. An “inverted” winger can’t be effective if he can’t go to the endline and threaten. Predictable runs inside doesn’t support the central attackers.
Bob, Touche’
Bob, did you begin the “turn the corner” conversation here or did someone else and you’re responding? I completely agree that turning the corner and driving up the endline towards the goal is missing in American players. I was stunned to watch a high school senior who was on her way to play D1 at a very good soccer school twice get passed her defender, have a good step or two advantage, and cross the ball rather than charge towards the net. It creates a dangerous situation. Whomever she passes to can’t be offside. The defense is unbalanced and panicked. Plus, more than anything, its incredibly fun for the dribbler.
I’ve now witnessed at least two very good soccer players, big kids, continue to play center strikers at the D1 and professional levels, when, had someone switched them to play defense, without a doubt would have been world class defensive players. One kid played on the national team for a bit and now plays in Europe, fairly successfully, as a striker but had he switched and played defense, he’d be on the field today with the national team and probably our best defender. Same for the other kid who played D1 at a great soccer school, but both players were too slow to be world class strikers but they needed better advice somewhere along the line.
I was responding to something Humble1 said. It is correctly placed.
No Question that the “Inverted” Wing is “Killing” THE GAME; Of Turning Defense and then Serving the 6… Very Rarely do we see a Wing Play 1v1 Dribble or Overlap that Results in a Cross from the End Line… And as Much as I Loved Winning with Ronaldo( Now Everyone wants to do the Same)…
Would be an Interesting STAT, to see what the Ratio of Goals Scored by Wingers vs CFw was Prior to CR7.???
Bob, I was hoping to hear more about your thoughts on the subject and continue this line of thought. Still do. This all falls into the category of attack and what a player considers when deciding what to do next. A priority has to be putting the opponent’s goal in danger, maximizing that, and a compliment about certain players is that they’re “direct”. For the most part, shouldn’t a player always be direct? I remember hearing that comment for years by commentators when evaluating a player and wondering if it was a complement; part of me thought it shouldn’t need to be questioned. Go score!
Bob, Phil, great points on maybe why we are struggling to place domestic developed CBs, FBs in top Euro leagues and our own MNT. You both make very good but very different points. The relation of winger play to FB is one I am learning. My son never played winger – so I never did a deep look at that position. It is the only position he has not played a season at. Phil on your point to convert fw to cb – later – this is a big issue here. My son is a CDM/pivot almost for sure. brazilian, hungarian and croatian coaches – all had him for one season – won championships. His Indian-American HS coach put him there – never lost a game for two years – not one – he had 10 assists – 10 goals – many of his goals – game winners – a college coach from a top d3 school once wrote an explanation of why he would play him as CDM – not CB in his Eval – yet – he has played the last two years for club and HS – as LFB. The ID of players position on the field is the weakest area of coaching in USA – it is the area also – where politics and peer pressure plays a huge role. No one wants to play CB. CB is a position you must ID young. Many mistake that CB must be big, tall. Not so. The first selection is mental disposition, spirit and wits. There is a long list of great defenders that were less than 6’ tall. The slide tackle is so important, nothing to do with size. In Uruguay – position is aligned with parent and coach by age 9. There is still movement – it is far less than here. Learning the role of
the position on and off the ball is fundamental there – here coaches literally throw players into positions without guidance. When they do that to my son – I help him learn the position – this has built for him unbelievable versatility. It is suboptimal – but here – you have to take whats given in your youth context and make the most from it.
I add also – that sometimes – and it would be almost for sure the case with kiddos club and HS – playing FB – the coaches know what is required at the next level – they are trying to help him – and really – even tho it’s completed different that Uruguay – they have helped him tremendously – in the context of USA youth soccer – and we are thankful. Great discussion. Best of luck to the boys in the running for and staff doing the selecting for Olympics. I’ve learned a lot on SA from the many brilliant commenters and authors over a long period of time. Thank you SA. Keep it going!
So, let’s take a Look at the Dark Side, Who will actually get Released.??
Cowell; Yes
Balo; Yes French teams pretty much Obligated to Release.
Pepi, Tillman; Yes from PSV
Paredes; Yes from Wolfsburg
Busio; Tessman, Lund.. Unlikely, if their Teams get Promoted to SerieA
Newly promoted team unlikely to have players Miss Preseason.
Cardoso, Musah, Most Likely
Reynolds, McKenZIE; Yes, from Belgian league… But they could be Transferred also.
Trusty should be OK, as Relegated Team will allow him for “Marketing”.
If he gets Sold Before Olympics, I Doubt it… Ream;Yes
Slonina, Schulte; Yes
Harriel, Yes
McGlynn; Yes, Unless he gets Sold
The original deal struck was that the Olympics was supposed to use U23 MNTs for their competition. 12 years ago FIFA welched on the deal and said that clubs did not have to release any players at all.
I don’t see why the Olympics doesn’t in turn allow countries to use pros of any age without limit. I would guess this would favor countries whose domestic leagues released players for its national league, while allowing clubs in leagues like the EPL deny other countries the use of players, heavily distorting the odds of winning. This would create chaos and pressure FIFA to require all its clubs to release players.
FIFA’s financial greed drives FIFA in a direction that loses a good chance to promote the sport worldwide. The IOC is no better.
As I understand it… NGO (FIFA) Sets the Regs… But OC(Pays the Bills and Takes All the Profits, after Expenses)
FIFA’s greed is that they prevent the IOC from getting the best players compared to the world cup. FIFA wants its event to be the premier soccer event (for higher broadcasting rights pricing).
.dating back to the games origin, the Olympics was its World Cup (see Uruguay’s stars on crest…they count their Olympic victories as World Championships). FIFA underplays the modern Olympics as a result. I Would assume FIFA fear the competition taking away from their work product.
I’m not a fan of Paredes or Morris and would hope WE go in another direction.
Right you are on Uruguay’s stars. It was also Uruguay that was the location of the first World Cup – 1930, where USA played their first ever WC game vs. Belgium, winning 3-0 in Estadio Centenario – which is still a venue today.
On Paredes, any player starting in a top Euro league like Bundasliga – they have to look at. I like the kid – the little I’ve seen him play for Wolfsburg. MLS – maybe less so – but also – American starting getting minutes at U23 – even in MLS – this is a player you have to look at. Since you are sitting in Chicago or maybe Atlanta building your team – that’s what you have to do – build your list based on where and how much the players play.
i am ok with U23 players and the exceptions. Gives these young players and coaches a development opportunity they otherwise do not have. I am not OK when Honduras and Mexico take the two CONCACAF places for 3 straight olympics. That was canary in coal mine that our development of men players from u19 to 23 – the pro formation period was languishing. It is better but still needs work.
Diego Luna should be on the roster. He is a go-getter and would drive defenses crazy.
I liked Luna when I saw him and would like to see more.
I love the discussion several posts ago about the lack of wingers getting to the endline and serving the negative diagonal ball across the goal mouth. I coach a high school team and this is the #1 concept that we teach ALL of our players in developing and completing an attack. I developed as an outside and then central defender and understood the chaos created by players would can “get around the corner” on the defender. I will just say that this habit has been extremely successful for our program over the years. But it has to be drilled into them because of the bad habits they have from their “travel” coaches who seem to get their tactics from highlight films. It saddens me to see how many coaches don’t teach their attackers to “cut in” near the top of the box to look for the “glory shot” when most defenders are hedging to stop this move and it only takes them into a crowd. Getting around the corner imbalances the defense, freezes the keeper, draws the eyes of defenders to the ball, and allows trailing or late arriving attackers to slip into unguarded space with a mostly open goal. Yet so many of our “best” young players choose to not make this play in critical moments. An obvious exception was Pulisic for the 2nd goal against Mexico. I was loving that moment, even it resulted in a delayed outcome.
I need to edit my comment, I meant to say that they “do teach their players to cut in near the top of the box.” Not sure how I messed that up.
Hap, Your are doing the right thing, which is teaching the old school of how wingers should effect the attack is best…
When you go to the endline you force the opponent’s backline all the way backwards thus they create space for the attackers to come closer to the goal…
The crosses veers away from the defenders and the goalie thus giving the attackers if a head ball ball more power.
As the defenders run backwards they are placed in the position to either look at the ball (the wing) or their own man but they can’t do both. But when an inverted wing comes inside it is easier for the defender to look at their own man and the wing…
A wing going down the endline forces the defender to turn and chase him but then has difficulty to tackle for his strong foot is next to the wing
I have no idea why we have inverted wingers for all they to do is further clog things up in the middle.
Agreed Hapnelsonwv. Pulisic’s move was magical. I wish the tv station I was watching would have done several closeups of the move and U.S. Soccer should feature it in team promos. Turning the corner, so effective, its good for match success and also good for teaching the player the delight experienced when causing so much havoc. Often that player can find himself in the box as well, if not immediately then after a touch or two. Teaching attackers to try to keep the ball in the box helps too. Sometimes I go nuts when an attacker is under pressure while in the box and sends the ball outside the box to an open player. Keep it in the box, especially in critical tournament games because defenders need to be extra cautious. A similar tactic often unused is when the breakaway player is a half-step or two ahead of the defender and he goes straight ahead instead of taking that highly effective touch into the path of the defender that also provides a better angle towards the goal.
I also agree on the turn the corner at the end line. Underused. The beauty of the move – adding to the above – is that it plays almost everyone ONSIDE! The challenge of the movement – turning corner at the end-line – is that it is harder – not easier to defend as mentioned above – but harder for the baller – because it requires control in tighter space. Players are afraid to try it. Requires encouragement and practice. The player – can perfect the move – but – on this particular move – it also is a ‘QUEUE’ as Hap will know well – for the off-ballers – to move into spaces as timing is everything. So yeah – you can work all you want on this move – but if your mates don’t work with you – you get nutin’