United States U-23 head coach Marko Mitrovic names final roster for Olympics

The United States U-23 head coach Marko Mitrovic has revealed the final training camp roster ahead of the Olympics, with a tough match against host nation France scheduled for July 24. The team will kick off its journey with a match against Japan in Kansas City on June 11.

Overaged Inclusion

In a surprising move, the roster includes one overaged player, Walker Zimmerman, to bring stability to a young back line and provide much-needed USMNT experience to the team. This decision is particularly interesting as Mitrovic has the option to include up to three overaged players, but has opted for just one. However, the inclusion of more players, such as Brandon Vazquez, is subject to clearance from their clubs, as they are not obligated to release players for the Olympics in the same manner as for FIFA international windows like the Euros and Copa America.

Key Players

The Venezia duo of Tanner Tessman and Gianluca Busio are expected to play vital roles in the team's performance during the tournament. However, their focus remains on helping their club return to Serie A, with upcoming matches against Cremonese on May 30 and June 2. The Columbus Crew duo of Patrick Schulte and Aidan Morris also have a chance to make an impact, as they aim to secure victory in the Concacaf Champions Cup against Pachuca on June 1.

Defensive Boost

The return to health of Jalen Neal and Benjamin Cremaschi's comeback to the midfield are significant boosts for the team. Neal has already made five MLS appearances for the Galaxy since regaining his fitness, while Cremaschi has been a key figure in Inter Miami's midfield. Both players, with promising potential, have returned to full fitness at an opportune moment.

Final Roster

• Goalkeepers (2): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; St. Charles, Mo.), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; Addison, Ill.)
• Defenders (7): Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; Oldsmar, Fla.), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; Lakewood, Calif.), Bryan Reynolds (KVC Westerlo/BEL; Fort Worth, Texas), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.), Jonathan Tomkinson (Norwich City/ENG; Plano, Texas), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; Lawrenceville, Ga.)
• Midfielders (7): Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids; Littleton, Colo.), Gianluca Busio (Venezia/ITA; Greensboro, N.C.), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; Key Biscayne, Fla.), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Queens, N.Y.), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split/CRO; Stillwater, Okla.), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia/ITA; Birmingham, Ala.)
• Forwards (9): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER; Medford, N.J.), Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution; Appleton, Wisc.), Taylor Booth (Utrecht/NED; Eden, Utah), Cade Cowell (Guadalajara/MEX; Ceres, Calif.), Damion Downs (Köln/GER; Schwebenried, Germany), Johan Gomez (Eintracht Braunschweig/GER; Keller, Texas), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City SC; Omaha, Neb.), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; South Riding, Va.), Griffin Yow (KVC Westerlo/BEL; Clifton, Va.)