CHICAGO (July 8, 2024) – U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team head coach Marko Mitrović has named the 18-player roster plus four alternates for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This summer marks the U.S. Men’s return to the Games for the first time since 2008.
The Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament is restricted to players under the age of 23, with an allowance for three overage players. The competition is an important part of the Federation’s mission to develop winning teams as it provides some of the nation’s top young talents the opportunity to face elite opposition on the world stage after rising through the ranks of American soccer development.
Fifteen of 18 players have been capped by the full U.S. Men’s National Team, led by overage defender Walker Zimmerman with 42 senior international appearances. Midfielder Gianluca Busio’s 13 senior caps lead the squad’s Under-23 contingent.
Seventeen of 18 players on the Olympic roster played in MLS or developed in an MLS academy set-up, showcasing the productivity of the American player development pathway.
Goalkeepers (2): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; St. Charles, Mo.), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; Addison, Ill.)
Defenders (6): Maximilian Dietz (Greuther Furth/GER; Frankfurt, Germany), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; Oldsmar, Fla.), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; Arlington, Mass.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Midfielders (5): Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; Greensboro, N.C.), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; Key Biscayne, Fla.), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Queens, N.Y.), Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; Jacksonville, Fla.), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia/ITA; Birmingham, Ala.)
Forwards (5): Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht/NED; Medford, NJ), Taylor Booth (FC Utrecht/NED; Eden, Utah), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City SC; Omaha, Neb.), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; South Riding, Va.), Griffin Yow (KVC Westerlo/BEL; Clifton, Va.)
Alternates (4): Josh Atencio (Midfielder, Seattle Sounders FC; Bellevue, Wash.), Jacob Davis (Defender, Sporting Kansas City; Rochester, Mich.), Johan Gomez (Forward, Eintracht Braunschweig/GER; Keller, Texas), John Pulskamp (Goalkeeper, Sporting Kansas City; Bakersfield, Calif.)
“We couldn’t be more excited to have this group of great players and great people represent us at the Olympic Games,” said head coach Marko Mitrović. “It’s a special moment for all of us as they have worked their entire lives to reach this stage. Almost every player developed through our American soccer pathway, rising to become professionals and now they will live their dreams of competing at the Olympics. We’re grateful to the clubs that released their players in support of our mission. Our goal is to make our country proud and we will give everything for the United States.”
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the USA will kick off its return to the Games on Wednesday, July 24 – two days before the Opening Ceremony – against host France (9 p.m. local / 3 p.m. ET) at Stade de Marseille in Marseille. The U.S. will then take on New Zealand on Saturday, July 27 in Marseille (7 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET) and finish the group stage against Guinea on Tuesday, July 30 (7 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET). Marseille, located 125 miles west of Nice, is the second-largest city in France. Saint-Etienne is located 40 miles southeast of Lyon.
The U.S. will prepare for the Games at FC Girondins de Bordeaux in Bordeaux from July 9-20 before moving to Marseille ahead of its opening match vs. France.
The roster features players from 15 clubs, including nine from Major League Soccer. Two players come from the Philadelphia Union – defender Nathan Harriel and midfielder Jack McGlynn.
Eight players are plying their trade abroad in Germany, Italy, Netherlands (two each), as well as Belgium and England (one each). There are two pairs of European club teammates on the roster – Venezia’s Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann - who recently led the team back to the Italian top flight from Serie B. Two of the Olympic Team’s attackers will play together next season at FC Utretcht in the Netherlands - Taylor Booth, who recently extended his contract with the club, and Paxten Aaronson who was loaned this summer to the Dutch outfit from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Twelve states are represented on the roster, led by three players from Florida. Two players each come from Georgia, New Jersey and Virginia.
Seventeen of 18 players on the Olympic roster played in Major League Soccer or developed in an MLS academy set-up, showcasing the productivity of the American player development pathway. U.S. Soccer launched the Development Academy in 2007 to improve youth development and MLS NEXT has continued that work, building the next generation of players for the U.S. Men’s National Team program.
In addition to current MLS clubs, members of the squad also spent time with the following MLS or MLS Next outfits: Aaronson (Philadelphia Union), Taylor Booth (Real Salt Lake), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Benajmin Cremaschi (Weston FC), Nathan Harriel (Chargers SC), Jack McGlynn (BW Gottschee), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire FC, Montreal Impact), Kevin Paredes (D.C. United, Bethesda SC), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United FC, FC Greater Boston Bolts), Gaga Slonina (Chicago Fire FC), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas), Griffin Yow (D.C. United) and Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas, LAFC).
Five players have appeared in MLS NEXT Pro, the professional league launched by MLS in 2022 that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams: Aaronson (Philadelphia Union II), Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF II), Harriel (Philadelphia Union II), McGlynn (Philadelphia Union II) and Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew 2). Schulte helped Crew 2 to the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro championship and took home league Goalkeeper of the Year honors before backstopping the Crew to the 2023 MLS Cup.
After Walker Zimmerman came to the U.S. Olympic Men’s Team in June as its first overage player, he’s now joined by defender Miles Robinson and midfielder Djordje Mihailovic to bolster the squad. Zimmerman represented the United States at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he appeared in all four matches and started three. Robinson was a key part of the run-up to Qatar, appearing in 11 matches during World Cup qualifying and scoring the game-winning goal in overtime vs. Mexico in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Final. He has 29 senior international caps to his name, while Mihailovic has appeared 11 times for the senior USMNT. The midfielder has been a part of two Concacaf Gold Cup rosters and is enjoying a strong season back in MLS as a designated player with the Colorado Rapids, netting 10 goals and adding six assists.