The U.S. men’s national team‘s annual January coaching camp has a decidedly Olympic taste this yr.
More than half of these on the 25-man squad coach Gregg Berhalter named Friday to the USMNT’s first roster of 2024 are age-eligible to compete at this summer time’s Olympics in Paris — the primary Games through which the U.S. males will take part in since 2008. Olympic squads on the lads’s aspect are restricted to gamers 23 years outdated or youthful, with three over-age age exceptions out there to every group.
With USMNT headliners reminiscent of Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie unavailable for this month’s nationwide group camp — which can conclude with a pleasant match towards Slovenia Jan. 20 in San Antonio, Texas — due to commitments to their European golf equipment, Berhalter’s picks are solely MLS-based. Because the camp and sport fall exterior a FIFA window designated for nationwide group exercise, golf equipment weren’t required to launch gamers this month.
Just one participant, Nashville SC fullback Shaq Moore, was on the American roster on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Three representatives every had been summoned from the MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew and Supporters Shield-winning FC Cincinnati. With 27 USMNT appearances, FCC central defender Miles Robinson is essentially the most skilled invitee. Midfielder Timmy Tillman, the older brother of U.S. common Malik Tillman, is certainly one of 17 gamers hoping to earn his first cap on the senior worldwide stage.
Here’s the complete roster:
Goalkeepers: Drake Callender (Inter Miami), Roman Celentano (Cincinnati), Patrick Schulte* (Columbus)
Defenders: Nathan Harriel* (Philadelphia Union), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution), Shaq Moore (Nashville), Ian Murphy (Cincinnati), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), James Sands (New York City FC), Nkosi Tafari (FC Dallas), John Tolkin* (New York Red Bulls), Caleb Wiley* (Atlanta United)
Midfielders: Joshua Atencio* (Seattle), Aziel Jackson* (St. Louis City), Jack McGlynn* (Philadelphia), Aidan Morris* (Columbus), Timmy Tillman (LAFC), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus)
Forwards: Esmir Bajraktarevic* (New England), Cade Cowell* (San Jose Earthquakes), Bernard Kamungo* (Dallas), Diego Luna* (Real Salt Lake), Duncan McGuire* (Orlando City), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps)
*Age eligible for the 2024 Olympics
“This is an opportunity to identify and work with the next generation of players who have the potential to make an impact on our program,” Berhalter mentioned in a information launch. “We appreciate the support from MLS and all their clubs so that we can utilize this platform. Our priority is on getting as many players as possible experience in important competitions, and this camp and the match against Slovenia will be extremely valuable in the evaluation process.”
Those chosen will report back to Orlando on Sunday. The 13-day camp will start Jan. 8, with the group heading to Texas a couple of days earlier than going through the Slovenians. In addition to his traditional USMNT workers, Berhalter will probably be assisted all through by Olympic group head coach Marko Mitrović.
Before reserving a spot on the Paris Games final yr, the Americans had didn’t qualify for 3 consecutive Olympic soccer tournaments. Their finest end got here on the flip of this century, when a U.S. aspect led by future World Cup standouts Landon Donovan and Josh Wolff reached the semifinals at Sydney 2000. The U.S. males had been eradicated within the group stage of their most up-to-date look, in 2008 in Beijing.
“A lot of these guys are going to be contending for spots in the Olympic team,” Berhalter mentioned later Friday throughout a information convention in San Antonio. “[It’s a] very inexperienced roster, but what it does is give us an opportunity to work with these players.”
Robinson’s availability is a pleasing shock
Wednesday’s information that Robinson had inked a free agent contract with Cincinnati was considerably shocking, as many anticipated the 26-year-old to go away MLS for Europe this month. Robinson’s sudden availability is a boon to this younger group; a daily with the full-strength USMNT, solely an premature damage prevented Robinson from beginning on the final World Cup simply over a yr in the past. Now wholesome once more, he ought to vie for a primary selection position through the Copa América in June and July. And now that he is staying within the home not less than although 2024, Robinson is also a candidate for one of many three overage slots Mitrović that allowed to fill in France.
Which future USMNT common will escape this yr?
Often unfairly derided as “Camp Cupcake,” the January camp has a protracted and spectacular historical past of affording future program legends their formative alternatives with the nationwide group. That listing consists of all-time USMNT main scorers Donovan and Clint Dempsey. More latest examples are 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams, stalwart defender Tim Ream and No. 1 goalkeeper Matt Turner — the one three U.S. gamers to log each minute of the Americans 4 video games in Qatar.
Time will inform who this yr’s standout will probably be. There are a number of early candidates, amongst them left backs DeJuan Jones and John Tonkin; former U-20 nationwide group winger Diego Luna; and two-way Crew midfielder Aidan Morris, who’s coming off an excellent efficiency ultimately moth’s MLS Cup.
Goalkeeping spots up for grabs
There was no place for veteran backstops Sean Johnson or Zack Steffen, who joined the Colorado Rapids this week following 4 years as a depth choice at mighty Manchester City. That means not less than one keeper will make his USMNT debut this month, with Callender the clear front-runner after taking part in a number of senior camps final yr.
Celentano and Schulte are additionally extremely regarded, although. With Turner’s future as a Premier League starter in perpetual doubt and a dearth of fine choices behind him, the 2 kids will probably be determined to catch Berhalter’s eye.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer author for FOX Sports. Before becoming a member of FOX Sports in 2021, he was a workers author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has lined United States males’s and girls’s nationwide groups at a number of FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
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