US Men’s Soccer Names Experienced Roster for Paris Olympics

U.S. soccer player Walker Zimmerman (L) and US Olympic men's soccer team head coach Marko Mitrovic speak during a U.S. Olympic women's and men's team press conference in New York on July 8, 2024. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team coach Marko Mitrovic named a seasoned 18-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Mitrovic is looking to have a better performance than the full National Team, which was eliminated from the 2024 Copa América in the group stage.

This summer marks the first time the U.S. men’s soccer team has played in the Olympic Games since 2008.

“We are excited to go to the Olympic games,” Mitrovic said at the introductory press conference this week. “We are going there after 16 years on the men’s side. Also, we are very excited we are going together with our women’s team. After almost two decades, we will have both teams representing our country at the Olympic Games.”

Olympic soccer is limited to players under 23, and each team is allowed three overage players. Mitrovic selected Miles Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, and Djordje Mihailovic as those three overage players.

“For me, first time going to the Olympics,” Zimmerman said at the press conference. “Obviously, as an overage player on the men’s side, in my cycle, we didn’t qualify, and that’s when I thought my dream was over. I won’t have the chance to play in the Olympics, and as things materialized later this year, just getting this opportunity is amazing.

“It’s something I always watched growing up. Something I always wanted to participate in. Again, I thought that was over so I am just excited and can’t wait to get going in France.”

Overall, 15 players on the Olympic roster have played for the full U.S. Men’s National Team. Zimmerman is the most experienced player with 42 senior international appearances, including all four matches in the 2022 World Cup.

In addition, 17 players on the Olympic roster played in MLS or were developed in an MLS academy, with the Philadelphia Union getting a team-high two players—defender Nathan Harriel and midfielder Jack McGlynn.

The U.S. will rely heavily on Robinson, who plays club ball for FC Cincinnati in MLS. Robinson was on the U.S. roster for the 2024 Copa América, but he did not get any playing time.

Robinson has already made an impact with 29 international appearances. The highlight of his U.S. career is scoring the game-winning goal against Mexico in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup final. However, Robinson was sidelined for the 2022 World Cup because of a torn Achilles.

Other players who have appeared with the U.S. National Team include Gianluca Busio, John Tolkin, Kevin Paredes, Taylor Booth, Tanner Tessmann, Caleb Wiley, Paxten Aaronson, Benjamin Cremaschi, Jack McGlynn, Duncan McGuire, Patrick Schulte, and Gabriel Slonina.

Five of those players—Busio, Mihailovic, Robinson, Slonina, and Zimmerman—have represented the senior U.S. Men’s National Team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

FIFA does not require clubs to release players for the Olympics.

“We all know it was a difficult process for the last 18 months talking to the clubs and trying to get all of the players released,” Mitrovic said at the press conference. “It was a great experience for me to learn how that works. Yes, there were challenges. However, we ended up with a roster that we really believe that we have a roster that can represent us in the best possible way. I feel very good about the team going to Paris.”

The U.S. plays France in the Group A opener on Wednesday, July 24, at Marseille Stadium. The U.S. then takes on New Zealand on Saturday, July 27, in Marseille. The Americans finish the group stage against Guinea on Tuesday, July 30.

The U.S. will practice for the games in Bordeaux from July 9 to 20 before traveling to Marseille for the match against the French, who are favored to win the gold medal.

France coach Thierry Henry wanted to include Kylian Mbappé on the squad, but the superstar broke his nose in this summer’s European championships. In addition, his new club, Real Madrid, was reportedly reluctant to release him for the Olympics.

Argentina, led by Claudio Echeverri (Manchester City) and  20222 World Cup winner Thiago Almada (Atlanta United), has the second-best odds to medal, followed by Spain.

The U.S. has never won gold in the men’s soccer tournament at the Olympics. The best performance occurred in 1904 when the then-club teams won a silver and bronze medal in St. Louis.

“In any tournament, even the smallest of decisions can affect winning a medal or not,” Zimmerman said. “A key point for us is going to be how well we handle those small moments and make sure we don’t slip up for a dumb reason.”

The full 2024 U.S. Olympic team roster:

Goalkeepers: Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea)

Defenders: Maximilian Dietz (Greuther Furth), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders: Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia)

Forwards: Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht), Taylor Booth (FC Utrecht), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City SC.), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), Griffin Yow (KVC Westerlo)