PREVIEW: USA Returns to Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament for First Time Since 2008 with High-Profile Clash vs. Host France
Kickoff from Stade de Marseille set for 3 p.m. ET and Broadcast Live on USA, Peacock and Telemundo
MARSEILLE (July 23, 2024) – The U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team is returning to the Olympic Games for the first time in 16 years and kicking off competition with a bang facing host France in front of an expected crowd of 60,000-plus at Marseille’s historic Stade de Marseille on Wednesday, July 24, two days before the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony.
Restricted to players under the age of 23, with an allowance for three overage players, the Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament 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.
U.S. OLYMPIC MEN’S SOCCER TEAM – ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COUNTRY; CAPS/GOALS; HOMETOWN)
RETURN TO THE OLYMPICS
The U.S. Men are back at the Olympics for the first time in 16 years. Since the competition became a primarily Under-23 competition in 1992, the tournament has served as a springboard for players’ careers, leading many into important roles with the senior U.S. Men’s National Team.
The USA looks to top its best performance, a fourth-place showing at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. In that tournament, the U.S. bested Japan in penalties, 5-4, after a 2-2 draw in overtime before falling to Spain in the semifinals and Chile in the third-place match. Eighteen-year-old Landon Donovan starred Down Under and earned his senior team debut the following fall. He was joined in Australia by future USMNT stars like Jeff Agoos, Josh Wolff and Tim Howard, who served as the overage Brad Friedel’s backup during the tournament.
At the U.S. Men’s last Olympic appearance in 2008, future senior team stalwarts like Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and Sacha Kljestan represented the Red, White and Blue on the Olympic stage, narrowly missing out on advancement to the knockout round.
PUNCHING THE TICKET
The U.S. earned its place in the Olympics by winning the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Honduras, which served as qualifying for both the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics. The USA clinched its spot with a dominant 3-0 semifinal win at Honduras in front of an overcapacity crowd in San Pedro Sula, boosted by an opening goal from Olympian Paxten Aaronson. Midfielder Jack McGlynn and Aaronson return from that tournament roster. Aaronson won the Golden Boot as the competition’s best player and the Golden Ball as top scorer.
The USA’s Olympic return comes after several years of strong results in the Men’s Youth National Team program. Eight players have represented the U.S. at FIFA Youth World Cups: Taylor Booth (2017 U-17 WC), Gianluca Busio (2019 U-17 WC), Maximilian Dietz (2019 U-17 WC), McGlynn (2023 U-20 WC), Kevin Paredes (2023 U-20 WC), Gaga Slonina (2023 U-20 WC), Caleb Wiley (2023 U-20 WC) and Griffin Yow (2019 U-17 WC). The U-20 World Cup alumni have helped the U.S. become the only nation to reach the quarterfinals of the last four U-20 World Cups.
PATHWAY TO THE GAMES
Seventeen of the 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 since 2020, 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 been 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.
USA ROSTER NOTES
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2001 are under-23 age-eligible for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Of the 15 Under-23 players, Marko Mitrović selected five players born in 2001, four in 2002, three in 2003, two in 2004 and one in 2005.
At just 19 years, 144 days, midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi is the youngest player on the roster and also age-eligible for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The two teenagers on the roster, Cremaschi and defender Caleb Wiley (19 years, 144 days), are the sixth and seventh youngest players selected to represent the U.S. at the Olympics behind Landon Donovan (Sydney 2000; 18 years, 194 days), Jozy Altidore (Beijing 2008; 18 years, 275 days), Claudio Reyna (Barcelona 1992; 19 years, four days), Conor Casey (Sydney 2000; 19 years, 50 days) and Freddy Adu (Beijing 2008; 19 years, 66 days).
As of the opening match, the 18-player roster will hold an average age of 22 years, 306 days. Without overage players, the roster averages 21 years, 288 days. The 2008 squad was a tad younger, averaging 22 years, 292 days and 21 years, 263 days.
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.
Three players made their senior international debuts during the USMNT’s January friendly vs. Slovenia: Jack McGlynn, Duncan McGuire and Patrick Schulte.
Midfielder Gianluca Busio’s 13 senior caps lead the squad’s Under-23 contingent.
The roster features players from 14 clubs, including eight from Major League Soccer. Two players come from the Philadelphia Union – Nathan Harriel and McGlynn.
Eight players are plying their trade abroad in England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands (two each), as well as Belgium.
There are three pairs of European club teammates on the roster: Venezia’s Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann, FC Utrecht’s Paxten Aaronson and Taylor Booth plus Chelsea’s Gaga Slonina and Caleb Wiley.
Twelve states are represented on the roster, led by three players from Florida. Two players each come from Georgia, New Jersey and Virginia.
All three overage players featured during their respective Under-23 cycles which failed to qualify for the Olympics: Zimmerman (Rio 2016), Djordje Mihailovic and Miles Robinson (Tokyo 2020).
All 18 players have appeared at the U-23 level, led by midfielder Tessmann’s 10 caps.
Eight starters and 12 players who appeared against France return to the U.S. roster for the Olympics. Seven starters and 11 players from its March roster return for France.
This is the first meeting between the U.S. and France at the Olympic Games.
The USA has faced the host country twice previously in the Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament: a 7-0 loss to West Germany at Munich 1972 and a 0-0 draw with Korea Republic at Seoul 1988.
The U.S. is 0W-2L-4D vs. UEFA competition at the Olympics since the Under-23 rule was introduced at Barcelona 1992.
The U.S. is 4W-3L-5D in the group stage since 1992, including a 3W-1L-4D record in its last eight group stage matches.
IN FOCUS: FRANCE
France has previously reached the medal stand twice at the Olympic Games, first winning silver on home soil at Paris 1900 with a representative club team, then gold at the Los Angeles 1984 event.
France has competed in men’s soccer at 13 previous Olympics dating back to 1900, last taking part at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics. There, the team went 1W-2L-0D (three points) and was eliminated in the group stage after suffering defeats to Mexico and Japan in Group A. Its lone win came against South Africa.
Prior to 2020, France failed to qualify for five straight editions of the Games. Les Bleus were quarterfinalists at Atlanta 1996, where they fell to Portugal in the knockout round.
Since the group stage was introduced in the men’s tournament at Rome 1960, France has reached the knockout round in four of the six tournaments in which it’s competed (1968, 1976, 1984, 1996).
HOW THEY GOT HERE
As host nation, France earned automatic qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The French played three July friendly matches against fellow Olympic participants in preparation for the upcoming Games, in which they won twice and drew.
Most recently, France drew Japan 1-1 on Wednesday, July 17 at the Stade Mayol in Toulon. Michael Olise’s 47th-minute finish equalized a 25th-minute goal by Japan to keep the French unbeaten during its Olympic prep this month.
Prior to the Japan match, the French were 7-0 victors over Dominican Republic on July 11 and 4-3 victors over Paraguay on July 4.
FRANCE SQUAD
Head coach Thierry Henry filled all three of his overage player spots, bringing Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette (33), Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta (27), and Sevilla’s Loïc Badé (24) into his team.
Lacazette served as captain in the team’s three pre-Olympic friendlies against Paraguay, Dominican Republic and Japan.
Three players on the roster boast senior French national team experience, led by Lacazette with 16 career appearances. Defenders Castello Lukeba and Adrien Truffert have one appearance each.
Of the 18 players on the roster, 11 ply their trade domestically in France, with 10 playing for sides that will compete in Ligue 1 this upcoming season and one (goalkeeper Obed Nkambadio, Paris FC) who will compete in Ligue 2.
Seven players on the roster compete outside France, with the German Bundesliga (five players), English Premier League (one player) and Spain’s La Liga (one player) all represented.
Ligue 1 side Rennes boast the most representation in the squad with defender Adrien Truffert, midfielder Desire Doue and forward Arnaud Kalimuendo.
FRANCE HEAD COACH THIERRY HENRY
Henry was appointed head coach of the France Under-21 Men’s National Team and the Under-23 Men’s National Team in August 2023. So far, the French U-21s are 4-2-0 since Henry took over and the U-23s are an unbeaten 3-0-2 leading up to the Olympics.
Nearly a decade into his managerial career at the outset of the Olympics, Henry began his coaching path with Arsenal’s youth academy in 2015 at the conclusion of his illustrious club and international career.
At the international level, Henry has twice served as an assistant coach with the Belgium Men’s National Team. He worked with the Belgian forward group from 2016-2018, helping the squad during its semifinal finish at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. After club stints with Ligue 1’s Monaco and CF Montréal of Major League Soccer, Henry returned to the Belgian touchline in 2021 to take part in UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
A legend of the France Men’s National Team as a player, Henry was a five-time French Player of the Year, winner of the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship plus ranks as the second all-time leading scorer (51) in the history of Les Bleus. He earned 123 international caps for France.
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