Marko Mitrovic confirmed his June camp roster, with a few surprises on all ends of the pitch.
Marko Mitrovic's squad included more than a few surprises, but the biggest? The sheer size of the roster: 25 players were called up, with one overage player in Walker Zimmerman joining the U23s.
European prospects such as Rokas Pukstas, Johan Gomez and Damion Downs were included in the lot, joining domestic talents such as Aidan Morris, Jack McGlynn and Benjamin Cremaschi. Meanwhile, some who played roles in previous camps – such as Diego Luna – were noticeably missing
Mitrovic has one match this June camp to determine which 18 players – including three overage – he will take to Paris this summer. With less than two months until the Olympic Games begin, he has a lot on his plate as he prepares the U.S. for their first appearance in the tournament since 2008.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the USMNT Olympic squad's June camp call-ups…
(C)Getty ImagesWINNER: Walker Zimmerman
This surely means that the 31-year-old Zimmerman is headed to Paris, right? It's assumed that Zimmerman's presence this camp means he will occupy one of the three available overage slots available.
It's a massive accolade for the 41-time-capped veteran, who led the U.S. at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He missed a chunk of the beginning of the MLS season due to injury, but has since returned for Nashville SC, starting five straight matches in May.
Mitrovic will likely test both Jalen Neal and Jonathan Tomkinson next to him this camp to determine who will be the best fit in Paris, and that could decide who will start for the Olympic games.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Daniel Edelman
Edelman had a strong beginning to the season for the New York Red Bulls, starting 10 matches across 12 appearances, helping them to a fifth-place standing.
Unfortunately, he had to compete for minutes in the most solid area of the pitch for the U.S., and there was no room for him this camp. With the inclusion of the likes of Venezia duo Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessman as well as Jack McGlynn and Aidan Morris, there was just no room in the pool for the 21-year-old.
Edelman was called into the March camp, where he came off the bench in a 3-0 thumping of Guinea and was an unused substitute against France.
It was a longshot for the RBNY product to make the Paris Games roster, but he's had a solid campaign so far for the MLS side, which makes this even more of a disappointment.
WINNER: Rokas Pukstas
You could hear U.S. fans all over the world yelling out a proper when they saw Pukstas' name on the roster. To the dismay of many, he wasn't called into Mitrovic's March camp after featuring in the call, but the 19-year-old attacking midfielder is back in the mix.
Dubbed one of the most talented prospects in all of Croatia, the 19-year-old has continued to shine at the USYNT level while competing in the top-flight of the European country with Hadjuk Split.
He finished the season with eight goals in 28 appearances, helping them to a third-place finish and booking their spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers next fall.
He played a pivotal role in helping the U.S. qualify for the Olympics by winning the CONCACAF U-20 championships in 2022. And while he will still have much to prove this camp in an already congested midfield, at least he'll have the opportunity to impress Mitrovic.
Getty ImagesLOSER: Diego Luna
This one stings. Luna, a fan-favorite in Real Salt Lake, missed out on the June camp roster – and now, seems likely out of the running for the Paris Games. He's had a slow start to 2024, but RSL have been on fire, and he's played a substantial role in their success.
Luna has three goals and three assists for the first-place team in the Western Conference, with four of those contributions coming in the last six matches across MLS action.
He played a role in the March camp under Mitrovic, but seemingly didn't leave a lasting impact. The winger did, however, play a crucial role in leading the U20s to a CONCACAF Championship in 2022.