Predicting the USMNT 2024 Copa America Squad

The United States Men’s National Team will compete in the Copa América for a fifth time this summer. Most recently invited in 2016, the USMNT have twice finished fourth and have had two group-stage exits.

Hosting the Copa América across 14 cities, the USA has a trial run before audiences from all over the world tune in for the 2026 World Cup. 

The news ahead of this summer’s tournament is a bit of a mixed bag for the USMNT. Injuries have impacted several key players, and a few supposed stalwarts are not first-choice for their clubs. Others have excelled, however, and there are plenty of young talents to keep an eye on before Gregg Berhalter names his 23-man squad. 

In a group with Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia, the USMNT are expected to progress to the knockout rounds. They will likely face Brazil or Colombia in the quarterfinals.

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Who will be there

There are several locks for Berhalter’s squad, providing they are fit in time for the tournament. Skipper Tyler Adams returned from a back injury earlier this month, and has played just 121 minutes of Premier League football this season, but he will still be part of the USMNT squad if he avoids further injury. 

Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Chris Richards, and Antonee Robinson are among the guaranteed starters. McKennie will partner Adams in central midfield, while Pulisic has had the best season of his career for Milan. Richards and Robinson are no brainers in defence, while there is more debate over the other spots in the back line.

Folarin Balogun, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Yunus Musah, Tim Ream, Miles Robinson, and Joe Scally are all going to make the squad. Ream, Robinson, and Carter-Vickers will compete to start in central defence. 

Tim Weah is going to make the 23-man list, although his role isn’t clear at this stage. He could deputize for Dest at right-back, or he might be used as an impact substitute off the bench.  

With 19 goal contributions in Serie A this season, Pulisic couldn’t be better placed to star for the USMNT in the Copa América. Despite mainly being limited to substitute appearances at Nottingham Forest, Gio Reyna has also consolidated a place in the starting XI. 

Reyna got the nod in the Nations League last time out, and has thoroughly outplayed Yunus Musah this season. It’s been a difficult campaign for Musah, who might be better suited to a bench role. Berhalter is bound to need backup in midfield, and he can be an impactful player late in games.

Who should be there

Haji Wright and Josh Sargent, who are both excelling in the lower tiers of English football, are going to make the squad. It’s more a question of which one starts, or if Berhalter opts to play the two together. 

Full-back is one area where Berhalter has a big decision to make. DeAndre Yedlin is one candidate to come in, while Berhalter could also opt to use Weah at the back. Scally is a definite inclusion in the squad, but he might be a backup unless Berhalter wants more defensive solidity against more challenging opponents like Uruguay, Colombia, and Brazil.

Folarin Balogun is going to make the squad, even after an underwhelming first season with Monaco. He has just 12 goal contributions in Ligue 1 after 19 with Reims in 2022-23. Ricardo Pepi’s status is more up in the air. Pepi broke out for Groningen last season, but he’s played on 462 league minutes for PSV Eindhoven this term. 

Who won’t be there 

Sergiño Dest is the most high-profile name set to miss out on the USMNT Copa America squad. Dest suffered a serious knee injury in late-April while training with PSV Eindhoven. He’s out for the rest of the calendar year. 

Jesús Ferreira, who has only started three matches for FC Dallas at the time of writing, is unlikely to make the final 23 for the Copa América. Malik Tillman and Kristoffer Lund are two players who could miss out on the squad, too. 

Veteran defender Walker Zimmerman looks set to be the odd man out at the back. Without a cap since 2022, Zack Steffen will probably lose out to Ethan Horvath and Drake Callender for the backup goalkeeping spots. Brandon Vazquez hasn’t done enough in Liga MX to force his way into the squad after scoring eight goals for FC Cincinnati in 2023. 

With the Olympics taking place in Paris this summer, the younger players will still have an opportunity to represent their country. It could prove beneficial for some players to go to the Olympics instead of warming the bench for the Copa América.

Our prediction for the final squad

Goalkeepers

• Matt Turner 
• Ethan Horvath
• Drake Callender

Defenders 

• Tim Ream
• Cameron Carter-Vickers
• Antonee Robinson
• Joe Scally
• Chris Richards
• Miles Robinson
• DeAndre Yedlin

Midfielders 

• Gio Reyna
• Tyler Adams
• Weston McKennie
• Brenden Aaronson
• Tim Weah
• Johnny Cardoso
• Yunus Musah
• Luca de la Torre

Strikers

• Christian Pulisic
• Josh Sargent
• Haji Wright
• Folarin Balogun
• Ricardo Pepi