USMNT Olympics watchlist: Which MLS players could go to France for the Games?

This year’s Copa América will be closely watched, but the ensuing Olympic Games in Paris will have just as much to say about the broader state of the U.S. men’s player pool. Unlike the women’s side of the Olympic tournament, the men’s competition relies on players under the age of 23, though every team is allowed to bring up to three over-age players in the 18-man squad.  

If the team that U.S. Olympic coach Marko Mitrović selects comes close to matching the program-best 4th place finish in 2000, it would be a potential indicator that the U.S. can now consistently produce top-end talent. If the U.S. is embarrassed in Group A, though, some will fear that 2026 will be the program’s high point for quite some time.

After the draw in March, Mitrović touted a “big pool of players that we are following” for potential inclusion. He stressed that he wants to bring “the best 18 players” he can, and didn’t show his hand yet about areas where he feels he can sacrifice depth given the squad limitations of an Olympic tournament.

With that in mind, here’s a crib sheet of Olympic-eligible players to track in the coming months. This list focuses on MLS players, and with good reason: A full half of the most recent Olympic squad currently plays in MLS, and a majority of the rest were developed in MLS academies before moving abroad. 

Players who have been called in by Mitrović for the U-23 camps in November and March are designated with an asterisk (*) upon first mention.

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Goalkeepers

Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina* has been the senior U.S. team’s “goalkeeper of the future” for a couple of years now, and he won’t turn 20 until May 15. It’s widely expected that he’ll be one of the two goalkeepers taken to the 2024 Olympics, which would leave one place available for the rest of the pool. If USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter decides Slonina would benefit from a place on the Copa América roster, however, it would open the door for a second.

Either way, the fight for those one (or two) spots is arguably the closest competition in the entire pool of age-eligible players.

Aside from Slonina, three Olympic-eligible domestic goalkeepers are the top option for an MLS club. Two led their teams to top honors in 2023, with Roman Celentano and Patrick Schulte* winning the Supporters’ Shield with FC Cincinnati and MLS Cup with the Columbus Crew, respectively. The other goalkeeper in contention is Chris Brady*, a Chicago Fire homegrown who inherited the club’s starting spot after Slonina, another academy product, left for Chelsea after the 2022 season. 

Their numbers tell an interesting story.

Celentano holds an edge over his peers on numbers, but it’s difficult to separate a goalkeeper’s performance from that of the line in front of him, and Celentano benefited from playing behind one of MLS’s best defenses in Cincy. Brady’s goal prevention rate of 5.6% has him in the middle of this group, but that work looks borderline Herculean when compared to his backup (Spencer Richey), who has a -19.9% rate across 8 starts since the beginning of last season.

While Celentano’s goal prevention rate looks far better than Brady’s or Schulte’s, that’s relative. Celentano ranked 15th among 36 eligible MLS goalkeepers in the stat last season, with Brady in 17th and Schulte in 22nd. The difference between this trio is relatively negligible given a range that ran from -20% to +50% league-wide.

The three are also utilized very differently by each of their teams, which shows up in the non-shot-stopping metrics as well as the eye test. 

Since 2023 began, Schulte’s raw passing numbers jump off the page: a 75.6% completion rate that’s 9.9% better than Celentano (65.7%) and 13.1% ahead of Brady (62.5%). Then again, the Crew goalkeeper plays far fewer long passes, which makes sense given Columbus’s possession-heavy style under Wilfried Nancy. Brady takes top marks in commanding his area, stifling more crosses than the others.

Considering shot-stopping, distribution and sweeping altogether, Brady appears to have a narrow edge as the top option of this trio. The next couple of months will be crucial for Schulte, who was a revelation last fall but needs to display better consistency between the posts. If he can’t, Celentano stands out as a shot-stopping specialist — arguably, he’s been in the best form of this trio, if not any MLS goalkeeper, through the season’s early weeks.

Defenders

Six defenders have viable cases for the Olympic roster. Conveniently for our purposes, they’re divided evenly between left back, right back, and center back.

At left back, John Tolkin* and Caleb Wiley* have been regulars in this squad, and will likely soon compete to be Antonee Robinson’s main backup for the senior team. Wiley is a regular for Atlanta United at 19 years old, and his ability to play further afield on the wing is valuable for the constraints of an 18-man squad. Tolkin, 21, is arguably the best left back in MLS and appears ready to take the next step with a move abroad.

At right back, Nathan Harriel* is a regular selection by Mitrović. Another Union academy product, Harriel leads all MLS right backs with 6.07 interceptions and blocked passes per 1,000 opposing touches — a massive impact even when weighted for possession. He also boasts a 56.3% duel win rate, making him a tricky mark to overcome for onrushing wingers.

Sporting KC’s Jake Davis is finally getting his due this season after a breakout 2023, and for good reason. No MLS right back averages more ‘true’ tackles — tackles, plus times that a defender is bounced off the ball carrier, as well fouls committed — per 1,000 opposing touches than Davis’ rate of 8.76. That ballhawk mentality has been vital to Sporting Kansas City and could play very well in an Olympic tournament. He has yet to be called in by Mitrović, however, and his emergence may have come slightly too late in the cycle to make this squad. That’s a shame in my book.

At the heart of defense, George Campbell* has benefitted mightily since being traded from Atlanta United to CF Montréal after the 2022 season. He has become a dependable starter who likes to converge on attackers before the ball gets to the box. That mindset shows in the data, too: although his 48.4% aerial rate is very poor for the position, his 11.71 ball recoveries per 1,000 opposing touches is among the league’s best.

Like Davis, Jalen Neal has yet to play under Mitrović. However, the LA Galaxy homegrown bypassed the U-23 level and already has 6 senior caps for the USMNT. In the 2023 Gold Cup, he became the youngest center back to appear for the USMNT in a knockout match. The 20-year-old reaped the benefits of playing alongside Japan international veteran Maya Yoshida in 2023, but has yet to feature in 2024 after suffering an abdominal injury in mid-February. If he can work into the lineup of a resurgent Galaxy side in time, he could make a case for Olympic inclusion.

Midfielders

Aidan Morris* is now among the league’s best two-way mids, featuring regularly for an eye-catching Columbus Crew side as they won a third league title and are off to a solid start this season. Nancy’s system has unlocked more of his short-passing game and his distributive decision-making, molding him into an ideal box-to-box option. 

The New York Red Bulls’ Daniel Edelman* is a steady leader at the base of midfield, and he’s increased his passing workload under new head coach Sandro Schwarz. His one-on-one defending has also improved with each season, adding a little more steel to his screening of the backline. 

Philadelphia’s Jack McGlynn* is an excellent ball circulator in any midfield shape, and his defensive work has seemingly taken a step forward in 2024’s early weeks. 

The Colorado Rapids’ Cole Bassett* is now in his second year back in MLS, where he is responsible for activating his club’s attack under Chris Armas. Quinn Sullivan may be overshadowed by his younger brother at the present moment, but he’s been the latest homegrown to break into Philadelphia’s first team. Having already logged 490 league minutes, he eagerly attempts shots from outside the box to keep an opponent honest and is electric on the dribble. Seattle Sounders’ 18-year-old Obed Vargas* will still be age-eligible in 2028 when the Olympics come to Los Angeles, but could have a chance of making two Olympic squads. Benjamin Cremaschi*, among the program’s biggest breakout stars in 2023, suffered a sports hernia during Miami’s protracted preseason tour. His health will be closely monitored between now and 

Forwards

Orlando City’s Duncan McGuire* should still have a strong chance of making the Olympic roster, even if Ricardo Pepi is utilized here rather than the Copa América. He’s seen a spike in his shooting volume compared to his rookie season, going from 2.05 shots per 90 to 2.92 in his first five starts. 

Diego Luna* achieved a “dream” of his when he debuted for the USMNT this winter. After being more of a goalscoring threat in 2023, he’s become a key creative option for RSL with four assists in just 358 minutes across five appearances this year.

Caden Clark was a regular for the U-23s during Olympic qualification, but has seen his role wane since Mitrović took over as his club career stalled after a move to RB Leipzig. He’s permanently back in MLS, now with Minnesota United, and is regularly starting as an inverted left winger. If he continues to get time and influence the team’s attack, he could factor for consideration once again. 

Brian Gutierrez* has shone brightly for the Chicago Fire, surpassing Xherdan Shaqiri as their most important player in the final third. After delivering nine assists last year, he’s notched two goals and an assist in 453 minutes this season while playing even further advanced — from logging 37.8% of his touches in the final third last year to a 46.1% thus far in 2024.

Aziel Jackson was a bargain acquisition for St. Louis City SC ahead of their triumphant first season, earning a USMNT debut over the offseason. His early club form in 2024 isn’t quite in line with last year’s standard, with a lessened rate of progressive passes or carries but a slight uptick in his creative metrics.

Similarly, Bernard Kamungo* hasn’t quite had the same verve for FC Dallas in the young season, but is among the program’s best dribblers and has shown great decision-making in the final third for his age. 

Esmir Bajraktarevic* is another player who will be age-eligible for Los Angeles 2028, but he’s been entrusted with regular involvement in New England this spring. The 19-year-old already has two second assists in 279 minutes, swiftly working into the Revs’ build-up even as the team struggles on the whole.

Indiana Vassilev* was another savvy pickup ahead of St. Louis’ debut and has improved his shot selection and open-play chance creation in 2024’s early weeks. 

(Top photos: Alex Bierens de Haan/USSF/Getty Images; Jean Catuffe/Getty Images; Graphics: Jeff Rueter)