The United States Men’s National Team’s Nations League title defense officially gets underway in just under two weeks, but it might as well have started yesterday with the much anticipated roster drop. Some newer faces headline, and one in particular has fans really excited. Here’s a look at the roster:
Big Takeaways From the USMNT Nations League Roster
Just 24 hours before the roster drop, it had been reported than interim coach Anthony Hudson would be “stepping away” from the team. Newly anointed sporting director Matt Crocker announced that assistant coach BJ Callaghan will take the reigns for the busy summer, defending the Nations League and Gold Cup titles.
Manager talk aside, the roster finally here. These are some things that caught my eye:
Balogun
Even though we knew it was coming, seeing his name in the team was still a very pleasant sight. The US Men have long been missing a goal scorer to round out this exciting young wave. This season with Reims, he became the first American to score 20 or more goals in a top five league. He is exactly what this team has been missing. No pressure.
Newcomers
Eight of the 26 players in this roster have less than five caps for the senior team. Folarin Balogun, Josh Cohen, and Drake Callender have none. It’s a testament to the ever growing youth development for the US, with guys like Taylor Booth, Alan Sonora, Auston Trusty, and Alex Zendejas bursting onto the scene, making their first appearances in 2023.
Eight Returning Stars
Only eight of the guys that were with the team when they hoisted the inaugural trophy are back on this roster. Aaronson, Dest, McKennie, Musah, Pulisic, Reyna, Robinson, and Weah are all back to try and repeat. Guys like Balogun, Matt Turner, and Chris Richards will look to bolster the team,
John Brooks Saga Continues
USMNT Twitter is a fascinating place. Everyone thinks the manager or the federation has an agenda against their favorite player. No one more than John Brooks has been the centerpiece of the USMNT Twitter discourse. During the Berhalter era, there were so many rumors of Brooks and Berhalter having a falling out, Berhalter said it was purely a tactical decision, but honestly the whole saga has been somewhat exhausting. It sparked up again after the roster came out, as there were rumors that Brooks was set to be included in the roster, until about a day or so before the drop. Brooks was just named Player of the Month for Hoffenheim, and BJ Callaghan had this to say about his exclusion:
Is there a real agenda against Brooks? You decide.
Is Balogun gonna announce himself? Will the US defend their title? Will Mexico knock them out in the semis? The Concacaf Nations League gets underway from Las Vegas June 15, with Panama vs Canada, leading into USA vs Mexico.
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