With the January United States men’s national camp roster announced, the page has officially flipped to what will be a busy 2024. Entering year six under Gregg Berhalter, it will be quite an exciting time with the Olympics, Copa America, and Concacaf Nations League semifinals all on the horizon. All of this action will also help build toward hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico but before they can get there, there is plenty that members of the team will need to do.
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Midfield is in flux, we’re still no closer to figuring out a starting center back pairing and depth spots are all up for grabs. Even the goalkeeper spot could be up for discussion depending on how things go. Taking all of that into consideration, let’s take a look at some USMNT players to watch in 2024:
Gio Reyna
Gio Reyna’s situation is fascinating. After Christian Pulisic, Reyna is making a strong argument that he’s the next most important player on the national team despite struggling for minutes at Borussia Dortmund. If Reyna doesn’t get a move in January there will be questions on how much playing time will impact his fitness for Copa America. That’s a tournament where if Reyna is healthy he needs to be involved. Tyler Adams, Yunus Musahand Weston McKennie were thought to be an inseparable midfield following the World Cup in Qatar but Reyna is showing that he should be included in the starting XI as much as possible.
Zack Steffen
Following a move to the Colorado Rapids, for the first time in years, Steffen will know where he is playing his soccer for the next few seasons and will also have a guaranteed starting spot for the foreseeable future. After serving as a backup at Manchester City and then going on loan and injuring his knee at Middlesbrough in the Championship, Steffen was stuck in purgatory during the summer after announcing that he wanted to move from City to a place where he could compete for a starting role. Now coached by Chris Armas, Steffen will have the tall task of turning around one of the worst defenses in Major League Soccer. If he’s able to do that and Matt Turner ends up not being the full-time starter for Nottingham Forest, there is a direct path back to being the USMNT number one for Steffen.
Tyler Adams
Bournemouth owner Bill Foley announced on Morning Footy (CBS Sports Golazo Network) that Tyler Adams could be back by the end of February and USMNT fans are awaiting that moment with anticipation. Adams has been absent from competitive fixtures since making a 20-minute cameo in the EFL Cup back in September during which he reaggravated a hamstring injury. The anchor of the USMNT midfield, Adams is needed to face top sides in the world due to his ability to dive into tackles and track top attacking midfielders. If Adams is healthy and able to contribute during Copa America, it will raise the ceiling of what the USMNT can do, but with questions remaining about who can be a defensive midfielder if Adams misses out, his recovery will be closely monitored.
Mark McKenzie
One of the first names on the teamsheet at Genk, McKenzie is helping lead their defense to allow only a goal per game in league play. While the Belgian Pro League may not be one of the strongest top flights in the world, McKenzie’s performances and European experience should earn him a USMNT recall to show what he can do as he gains more confidence. Eventually, he will likely need a move to a larger club to realize his full potential but that’s also part of Genk’s business model of moving on younger players to bigger and better things. One of the biggest winners of Miles Robinson signing with FC Cincinnati, due to already being a left-footed center back in Europe, it’s important to see how McKenzie responds to this chance.
The strikers
We know that until proven otherwise, Folarin Balogun is the starting nine for the USMNT. But while Ricardo Pepi is in great form both for PSV and the USMNT as Balogun’s backup, the pecking order between them is up in the air, especially with Brandon Vazquez on the way to Monterrey in Mexico. Josh Sargent has scored when healthy but has struggled to stay on the pitch at Norwich, Daryl Dike also can’t stay healthy and Jesus Ferreira is ready for his next opportunity. There is a big chance for whoever emerges from this group but there are also question marks surrounding each.
