The 2024 Olympics in Paris will see the United States compete on both the men’s and women’s side for the first time since 2008, making for an exciting few months for U.S. fans who can enjoy a full summer of soccer.
While the U.S. women’s side will be able to bring a full squad of professional players, the men’s Olympic tournament restricts rosters to players 23 years old and younger, with a few exceptions. Therefore, while the U.S. senior squad will take part in the 2024 Copa America through late June and early July, the U-23 squad will be deployed to the French capital for Olympic duty.
It’s the first Olympics in over a decade for the United States who did not qualify for the 2012, 2016, or 2020 games. Their participation this summer is a significant development with the World Cup to be played on home soil in two years before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The Sporting News breaks down who will lead the United States men’s side in the 2024 Olympic games and how they could line up in Paris.
MORE: Full schedule, group draw, and knockout path for men’s & women’s soccer at 2024 Olympics
USA Olympic men’s soccer roster 2024
25 players were called in for the June U-23 training camp before facing off in a friendly against Japan’s U-23 side in Kansas City on June 11, which saw the U.S. defeated 2-0.
The only overage player appearing on that roster was Walker Zimmerman (32 years old), who has just recovered from an injury and did not make the Copa America roster at a deep center-back position. He is likely to make the Olympic squad. Jalen Neal also returned from a hernia injury to take part, which likely rules out the candidacy of other overage players like Mark McKenzie (25 years old), Auston Trusty (25 years old), and Jackson Ragen (25 years old).
Only 18 players can be named to the final Olympic roster, which leaves very little wiggle room from a positional level. It makes for some very difficult decisions to make in the coming month, especially considering that two more overage players could eventually be added to this squad for Olympic duty, meaning up to nine players from this roster could be cut for the trip to Paris.
Predicted 2024 USA Olympic men’s soccer roster
The 18-man roster below is a predicted list of players for the summer tournament in Paris. The Sporting News will update this with the official roster once announced on Monday, July 8.
Age as of kickoff at the first Olympic football match on July 24, 2024.
| Pos | Name | Age | Club | U-23 Caps |
| GK | John Pulskamp | 23 | Sporting KC (USA) | 3 |
| GK | Patrick Schulte | 23 | Columbus Crew (USA) | 3 |
| DEF | Nathan Harriel | 23 | Philadelphia Union (USA) | 7 |
| DEF | Jalen Neal | 20 | LA Galaxy (USA) | 11 |
| DEF | Miles Robinson* | 27 | Nashville SC (USA) | — |
| DEF | John Tolkin | 21 | NY Red Bulls (USA) | 7 |
| DEF | Caleb Wiley | 19 | Atlanta United (USA) | 5 |
| DEF | Walker Zimmerman* | 31 | Columbus Crew | — |
| MID | Benjamin Cremaschi | 19 | Inter Miami (USA) | 5 |
| MID | Jack McGlynn | 21 | Philadelphia Union (USA) | 7 |
| MID | Djordje Mihailovic* | 25 | Colorado Rapids (USA) | — |
| MID | Tanner Tessmann | 22 | Venezia (ITA) | 10 |
| FWD | Paxten Aaronson | 20 | Vitesse (NED) | 5 |
| FWD | Taylor Booth | 23 | Utrecht (NED) | 3 |
| FWD | Duncan McGuire | 23 | Orlando City (USA) | 5 |
| FWD | Kevin Parades | 21 | VfL Wolfsburg (GER) | 2 |
| FWD | Griffin Yow | 21 | Westerlo (BEL) | 2 |
* = Player requires overage exemption for 2024 Olympic duty
Players who could be left off USA men’s soccer roster for 2024 Olympics
| Pos | Name | Age | Club | U-23 Caps |
| GK | Chris Brady | 20 | Chicago Fire (USA) | 3 |
| GK | Gabriel Slonina | 20 | Eupen (BEL) | 0 |
| DEF | Bryan Reynolds | 23 | Westerlo (BEL) | 7 |
| MID | Cole Bassett | 22 | Colorado Rapids (USA) | 2 |
| MID | Gianluca Busio | 22 | Venezia (ITA) | 6 |
| MID | Aidan Morris | 22 | Columbus Crew (USA) | 4 |
| MID | Rokas Pukstas | 19 | Hajduk Split (CRO) | 0 |
| FWD | Esmir Bajraktarevic | 19 | New England Rev. (USA) | 6 |
| FWD | Cade Cowell | 20 | Guadalajara (MEX) | 5 |
| FWD | Damion Downs | 19 | Cologne (GER) | 0 |
| FWD | Johan Gomez | 23 | Eintracht Braunschweig (GER) | 6 |
Who will make the USA men’s Olympic soccer roster?
Largely, this squad will be the makeup of the roster for the Olympics in just under two months. However, the three overage player exceptions are one important wrinkle to consider. Nations are not required to use their exceptions, but many do make use of the additional flexibility they provide.
For the United States, it will be highly unlikely for players to serve double duty at both the Copa America and Olympics, as serving at the two major tournaments this summer would be extremely taxing on a player’s workload regardless of whether it is mid-season for domestically based players or their offseason for European based players.
Players reportedly in the USA Olympic squad
With just days before the USA roster reveal for the 2024 Summer Olympics, a number of individuals are reportedly included in the squad.
Philadelphia Union midfielder Jack McGlynn, Orlando City striker Duncan Maguire, and Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi are all reportedly included in the 18-man squad according to various reports in the run-up to the roster reveal. All three players were part of the June camp, so it’s not surprising to see them included.
Additionally, Copa America participant Miles Robinson has apparently been included and will take up an overage player spot, and so will Djordje Mihailovic. With those two in the mix alongside Walker Zimmerman, the three overage spots have all been claimed.
Additionally, Philadelphia Union youth product Nathan Harriel is believed to be on his way to Paris.
Players who could be left off the USA Olympic squad
Winger Diego Luna was surprisingly left off the pre-tournament roster to face Japan, and there are reports that he could end up making the switch to Mexico as he’s been left off the U.S. Olympic squad. That would be an enormous blow for the U.S. youth system, as the Real Salt Lake youngster has been in fine form, raising significant questions as to why he’s been excluded from the Olympic roster.
Joining him could be fellow dual nationals Brian Gutierrez and Jonathan Gomez who have both been involved in the U.S. youth setup but are currently on the outside in.
Also surprisingly left off were goalkeepers Gaga Slonina and Chris Brady. It’s possible that their clubs denied them the chance to represent the United States at the tournament.
The inclusion of Harriel meant fellow full-back Bryan Reynolds would be be cut from the June camp roster.
Overage exemption options which were overlooked include Alejandro Zendejas, Brandon Vazquez, and Lennard Maloney.
Who is USA U-23 men’s head coach at Olympics?
Leading the U.S. squad at the 2024 Olympics is U-23 head coach Marko Mitrovic, a native of Serbia whose lengthy playing days saw him deployed in midfield for a host of clubs across a 15-year career. He made 85 appearances for now defunct Serbian club FK Buducnost Banatski Dvor, as well as 45 appearances for another defunct side FK Banat Zrenjanin, eventually retiring in 2010 and moving to coaching.
Mitrovic worked for four years with the youth ranks of the Serbian national team for four years between 2012 and 2016, also working with the famed Red Star Belgrade academy staff for a time during that span as well. He first moved to the United States for a coaching stint in 2016 to join the staff of fellow Serbian Veljko Paunovic, spending four years in that role.
In 2022, Mitrovic was hired by the United States national team federation, first joining as U-19 head coach. He was part of the senior staff under interim head coach B.J. Callaghan which took over between Gregg Berhalter’s stints, including the winning run through the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League finals. Mitrovic was then promoted to U-23 head coach in September of 2023, with U-16 coach Michael Nsien promoted behind him to take over the U-19 level.
