The U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) announced its roster for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup earlier this week. Interim manager B.J. Callaghan couldn’t select some players with the European season just completing. However, Callaghan has chosen an interesting 23-player roster, which includes a few exciting selections. Here are the first impressions of the roster:
Goalkeepers:
Sean Johnson: A solid choice with previous experience for the USMNT.
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Photo Cred: People
Gaga Slonina: An up-and-coming goalkeeper who has earned a move to Chelsea. It’s exciting to see his potential.
Matt Turner: A reliable option who has performed well for the USMNT and Arsenal. He should be the starting goalkeeper. He had an impressive performance over the past year.
Defenders:
DeJuan Jones: A young player with limited international experience, but his inclusion shows faith in his abilities.
Phot Cred: MLS Soccer
Aaron Long: He’s a consistent performer with good experience in the USMNT system.
Matt Miazga: A center-back who has exposure to domestic and international football.
DeAndre Yedlin: A veteran with a wealth of experience at the club and international levels.
Jalen Neal: A promising young talent from LA Galaxy, earning his chance with the national team.
Photo Cred: MLS Soccer
Bryan Reynolds: A versatile full-back has impressed with performances on loan from Russia last season. He has all the potential to make the right-back role his own for many years.
Miles Robinson: A reliable center-back who has established himself as a figure for Atlanta United.
John Tolkin: Another young star has a chance to shine, hopefully showing the direction USMNT intends to go.
Midfielders:
Gianluca Busio: A talented midfielder who has shown his potential in Italy with Venezia.
Photo Cred: MLS Soccer
Djordje Mihailovic: A midfielder with experience playing in the Netherlands and adds creativity to the squad.
Aidan Morris: A young player from Columbus Crew has promise. McKinnie and Adams have overshadowed him. This will be an opportunity for him to show his worth.
Cristian Roldan: He’s a versatile and hardworking midfielder, valuable for his work rate and tactical discipline. He should be playing at the base of the midfield or as part of a double pivot as the more defensive option.
James Sands: A promising young talent who has impressed for New York City FC. If he impresses in the tournament, he can cement his place in the team’s midfield for the foreseeable future.
Photo Cred: Getty Images
Alan Soñora: A midfielder that plays in the Mexican league, offering a different style of play. It will be interesting to see how he fits into Callaghan’s system.
Forwards:
Cade Cowell: A young and exciting prospect has impacted the San Jose Earthquakes. Cowell showed glimpses of his talent against Mexico in April and will have another chance to prove his worth at the tournament.
Photo Cred: ESPN
Jesús Ferreira: A player with good experience in the MLS and the potential to contribute to the teams attacking play. USMNT will rely on him for his goals, with Ferreira being the top scorer in MLS with ten goals this season.
Julian Gressel: A versatile forward who can contribute from various positions, representing the Whitecaps. His versatility will be an asset off the bench for Callaghan.
Jordan Morris: A proven goal scorer who has been a consistent presence in the USMNT setup. He’s been on fire this season, scoring nine goals in 16 games.
Photo Cred: Playing for 90
Brandon Vazquez: The forward had a breakout season and will get another opportunity to impress.
Alex Zendejas: Another player from the Mexican league, offering additional depth to the attacking options with his pace on the wings.
Overall, the roster includes experienced players and promising young talents, showing a balance between development and competitiveness. It’s a good blend of domestic and international-based players, providing depth in various positions, even though some players from the top European sides aren’t on the squad.
