GOAL writers discuss USMNT's first Olympic appearance since 2008, who will stand out, and if France is unbeatable
For the first time since 2008, the USMNT will be competing in the Olympics. It's been a long road to get here, filled with disappointments with the senior side and failed benchmarks for the younger generation. Yes, it's hard for some to get too excited about Olympic men's soccer, but this genuinely does matter for a younger generation of US talent looking to bring the nation to the forefront of the global game.
As you'd expect, it's hard to stake your claim in the sport if you're not playing in the tournament in the first place. Regardless, the U.S. are here now, and they take a strong-looking team to Paris. Head coach Marko Mitrovic has managed the U23 cap well, and selected his three allocated older players carefully. They will face a good field, though. France, Argentina and Spain all look strong – while there will certainly be other surprise sides. And off the back of a disappointing Copa America, there's extra pressure on this young group to make things happen for their nation.
It's a lot to break down, with plenty of intrigue for those curious as to how the next generation of USMNT talent might look. Our GOAL US writers take a look in the Olympic Games edition of… the Rondo.
(C)Getty ImagesHow far will the USMNT go in their first Games since 2008?
Jacob Schneider: This team 100% has the ability to make it out of the group stage, and even push for an achievable bronze medal. They've already secured results against France and Guinea – two group opponents – this year in international friendlies, meaning they should at minimum make it to the knockouts. There are some strong opponents in the field, but this group is established enough to compete – and that should be the goal.
Tom Hindle: There are serious problems if the USMNT doesn't get out of the group stage. This may not be an unreal roster, but there's certainly enough established talent at their disposal to get past Guinea and New Zealand (although neither side will be easy to beat.) Outside of that, things are rather up in the air. Finish second in the group, and they will almost definitely face Argentina in the quarterfinals. That might be curtains.
Ryan Tolmich: France are the clear favorites, both in the tournament and overall, even if the U.S. played them tight leading up to the tournament. Results against New Zealand and Guinea are both achievable and, if that happens, the U.S. is into the quarters. Once there, you're going by the luck of the draw so, for the purpose of this exercise, we'll see quarterfinals and pray.
Sidenote: If this U.S. team was full strength, we'd be talking semis or finals but, with this group, we'll stick with quarters.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWho is your player to watch on the U.S.?
JS: Taylor Booth. He could be the X-factor in this tournament. He had an outstanding February at the club level, before falling to injury. He netted the lone goal for the U.S. in a "secret" closed-door Olympic warmup match against Spain, a 1-1 draw and PK shootout victory for the USMNT, too. If the USMNT can unleash Booth and work him into the middle in transition, he could be key.
TH: Kevin Paredes. The DC United prospect improved immensely in his second full season in Germany, and is on the fringes of the senior team. He hasn't quite found his best position yet, but he has a real chance to be the standout guy this summer.
Theoretically, Mitrovic will have him play in a more attacking role, which should give a real sense of his quality on either wing. A good tournament might grab the attention of whomever the new USMNT manager turns out to be.
RT: He just got his Chelsea move locked in, so it's safe to say there will be plenty of fans around the world tuning in to watch Caleb Wiley. Blues fans will be looking at their investment, and Strasbourg fans will be checking out a player set to join them on loan this summer.
American fans, meanwhile, will be keeping an eye on a player who could be a USMNT regular for years to come. Wiley is still very much a work-in-progress, but he's already proven to be a game-changer in MLS. Can he bring that to the Olympic Games?
(C)Getty ImagesWith few big names, will anyone watch U23 soccer at the Olympics?
JS: It's difficult to say. The U.S. tried to call Haji Wright, Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman and Yunus Musah into the Games this summer, but because FIFA doesn't recognize the tournament, clubs aren't required to release players. If the men's Games want to be taken seriously, they need to adjust going forward, or at least remove the U23 cap to some degree. At the same time, it is definitely too much to ask players, for example, to compete in both Copa America and the Olympics in the same summer. So while there needs to be some sort of change, looking out for the safety of players is necessary, too.
TH: No. Everyone is knackered, and few global fans really care, other than the host nation and the United States. Then again, U.S. fans tend to care whenever someone puts the crest – which isn't a bad thing. Not a waste of time, but not necessarily a crucial part of the men's soccer calendar, either.
RT: The answer is probably no, but that's OK! This tournament, more than anything, is a shop window and, as long as the big clubs in Europe are watching, that's just fine.
The casual public almost certainly won't be in the weeds with this, but you can bet clubs in the Bundesliga, Eredivisie and Ligue 1 will be. Any smart team is at least keeping an eye on what happens in Paris this summer to try and snag a deal on a player that may not quite be on the rest of the world's radar.
And then, on the players' side, the Olympics obviously matter. It's a chance at a medal, which matters as much as the chance to move up the food chain. This tournament has its appeal, mainly to scouts and "sickos" and, because of that, it has a place.
GettyWho is going to win Gold in the men's field?
TH: France. They're better than everyone else, and are playing at home. Bonus points for a Jean-Philippe Mateta goal. He's immensely fun to watch, and has one of the better chants in the Premier League.
JS: France. They're too good. Thierry Henry on the touchline, Alexandre Lacazette up top with Michael Olise beneath – it's a dream for Les Bleus. Add in home-pitch advantage, and they have all the tools necessary for victory. It should be exciting to watch. A shout for Argentina, though, who are being led by Julian Alvarez and Thiago Almada.
RT: Let's not overthink this: it's France. No team has the high-end talent Henry's side has, from the base team to the overage players. Michael Olise just got sold for $75M. That's more than just about every other team in this tournament would go for.
Add in rising stars such as Rayan Cherki, Many Kone and Desire Doue, as well as an overage monster in Alexandre Lacazette? Yeah, this is France's tournament to lose.
