United States men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter finalized his 23-man roster for the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa América on Friday and while the roster is full of household names like Christian Pulisic, Giovanni Reyna and Weston McKennie, there are a handful of players that have yet to make their mark on the national stage.
Here’s a full player-by-player breakdown of the USMNT’s Copa América roster from FOX Sports’ soccer reporters Doug McIntyre and Laken Litman:
GOALKEEPERS
Age: 29
Birthplace: Park Ridge, NJ
Club: Nottingham Forest
Position: Goalkeeper
Team role: Starter
USMNT caps: 38
Matt Turner transferred to Nottingham Forest from Arsenal last year. But after being the club’s No. 1 goalkeeper to start, he lost his job after making too many mistakes and hasn’t played since last December.
But Turner is no stranger to competing for playing time. Turner, who didn’t start playing soccer until he was 16 years old, had to earn his spot as a walk-on at Fairfield University. He went undrafted by MLS after college, but impressed the New England Revolution during a tryout and got a contract, but it took time for him to see the pitch.
Even the first time he was called up to the national team, Zack Steffen was the starter. But during World Cup qualifying in 2021, Steffen was unavailable so Turner got the nod and hasn’t given up his spot since.
This is a crucial summer for the U.S. as it hopes to make a run at winning Copa America – which would be a huge coup for the team ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil. While Turner isn’t playing much for his club, he’s the kind of guy who always looks forward, wants to keep improving, and is going to do everything he can to help the USMNT be successful.
Age: 28
Birthplace: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Club: Cardiff City
Position: Goalkeeper
Team role: Key reserve
USMNT caps: 9
One thing Gregg Berhalter loves is when his guys can get regular minutes with their clubs. And while Ethan Horvath is still Matt Turner’s backup on the national team, he’s starting consistently for Cardiff City – he’s made 16 appearances with four clean sheets so far.
Before moving to the Championship club this year, Horvath didn’t get any playing time for Nottingham Forest – which, ironically, is where Turner transferred last season. Horvath spent last season on loan at Luton Town where he had 20 clean sheets in 51 appearances.
Age: 35
Birthplace: Lilburn, Georgia
Club: Toronto FC
Position: Goalkeeper
Team role: Third goalkeeper
USMNT caps: 13
The second-oldest player on U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter’s Copa Squad after 36-year-old central defender Tim Ream, Johnson has spent the entirety of his dozen-plus years with the USMNT as the third or second keeper option at most. No matter. The affable backstop is a universally beloved member of the program’s so-called “brotherhood” who was an integral part of the locker room throughout the 2022 World Cup cycle — not least at the main event in Qatar.
Berhalter appeared to have moved on from Johnson last year, with younger options like Drake Callendar and Gaga Slonina beginning to break through. But with another major tournament on tap this summer, the coach decided to recall the veteran to again back up starter Matt Turner and No. 2 Ethan Horvath. It’s a safe choice. “Sean John” brings more than vibes; he’s shown he can play when called upon, too.. Two summers ago, he shut out Copa América group stage foe Uruguay in a pre-World Cup friendly in Kansas City — the site of the all-important rematch on June 1.
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DEFENDERS
Age: 26
Birthplace: Milton Keyes, United Kingdom
Club: Fulham
Position: Left back
Team role: Starter
USMNT caps: 40
A regular starter at left back for Fulham and the USMNT, Jedi Robinson is one of the most valuable players for the Americans entering Copa América.
These days, Robinson is arguably the best left back in the Premier League and gets consistent minutes against formidable opponents. He’s a relentless, attacking full back who is a threat down the left flank, especially when it comes to getting the ball in the box. Robinson gets and creates plenty of crossing chances that have often resulted in goals for his club. His 78 interceptions is the most in the Premier League this season, and the competition isn’t close with Lewis Cook of Bournemouth tallying 62.
Robinson should be a familiar face to U.S. fans by now – he started every match for the USMNT during the 2022 World Cup. He’s also been in the news recently, with bigger clubs like Chelsea taking interest.
Age: 36
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri
Club: Fulham
Position: Center back
Team role: Key reserve
USMNT caps: 54
Tim Ream brings resiliency and experience to a young team in yet another major tournament. At 36 years old, he’s the oldest player on this roster. The veteran center back played every minute of the USMNT’s run to the round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup, and played the full 90 minutes alongside Chris Richards in the Concacaf Nations League final win over Mexico in March.
Ream has played for Fulham since the 2015-16 season, and has made more than 300 appearances for the club – a monumental feat he reached last October. He injured his calf in December and hasn’t played for the Cottagers since February, but he is expected to be healthy in time for Copa América.
Age: 26
Birthplace: Southend, England
Club: Celtic
Position: Center back
Team role: Borderline starter
USMNT caps: 16
Carter-Vickers hasn’t played a ton for the USMNT since making his senior debut for the Red, White and Blue back in 2017. He didn’t log a single minute for coach Gregg Berhalter during the first two games of the 2022 World Cup, despite the stout central defenders’ familiarity with many of the players on Welsh and English squads. But Berhalter decided that Carter-Vickers’ skillset – a combination of hard-tackling and slick passing out of the back – aligned perfectly with the Americans’ game plan for the must-win final group game with Iran.
Carter-Vickers, the son of former NBA player Howard Carter who grew up in England but spent his childhood summers in his father’s native Louisiana, was immense in the match, helping the U.S. shut out Team Melli 1-0 and advance to the round of 16. Carter-Vickers, who has won three-straight Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic, also started the national team’s final two games of 2023. A minor injury prevented him from participating in this year’s successful Nations League Finals.
Age: 24
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama
Club: Crystal Palace
Position: Center back
Team role: Starter
USMNT caps: 16
After missing much of the 2022-23 season — including the 2022 World Cup — because of injury, the Alabama-born center back established himself as a Premier League standout last season. He helped the USMNT keep clean sheets against Canada and Mexico to win a second Concacaf Nations League title in a row in June of 2023, but Richards began the most recent Prem campaign as a central midfielder under legendary then-Palace manager Roy Hodgson. But he moved back to his usual (and, by his own admission, much preferred) center back spot under new boss Oliver Glasner, and shined there as the London club finished comfortably mid-table. A couple of months earlier, Richards — a product of the FC Dallas and Bayern Munich youth systems — started both games for the U.S. as the Americans beat Jamaica and Mexico to win another Nations League crown.
Age: 27
Birthplace: Arlington, Mass.
Club: FC Cincinnati
Position: Center back
Team role: Starter
USMNT caps: 29
You may recall that Miles Robinson was supposed to start at center back for the USMNT at the 2022 World Cup. That was until he ruptured his Achilles tendon months before and was ruled out of the tournament. While it was a devastating blow, Robinson has come back healthy and could resume his starting spot at this summer’s Copa América.
He’s in the running, at least, but will be competing with Tim Ream and Chris Richards at the position – he most recently started for the USMNT in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal win over Jamaica. Robinson, a regular starter for FC Cincinnati, is also one of the few MLS players to make the Copa roster. He does have Premier League aspirations, though, and will be battle-tested when/if he faces talents like Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Vini Jr. this summer.
Age: 22
Birthplace: Kerteminde, Denmark
Club: Palermo
Position: Left back
Team role: Backup
USMNT caps: 3
The understudy to locked-in left back Antonee Robinson, dual-national Lund — he has a Danish dad and an American mom — petitioned FIFA to join the U.S. program in 2022 after having represented Denmark internationally at every level from under-17 to U-21. He was granted his one-time national team switch last August. A few weeks later, he won his first senior cap when he came off the bench late in the Americans’ friendly win over Uzbekistan. Lund started and went the distance in another September exhibition, against Oman, then logged another 90 minutes versus Ghana in October. He was also called up by U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter during the November and March camps, though he didn’t play. At club level, Lund played in 35 games this season, his first in Italy, as Palermo narrowly missed out on promotion to Serie A.
Age: 21
Birthplace: Lake Grove, NY
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: Defender
Team role: Key reserve
USMNT caps: 9
The last time we saw Joe Scally suit up for the national team, he got beat at the back post as Jamaica’s Greg Leigh headed home a goal in the opening 30 seconds of the Concacaf Nations League semifinal. The USMNT ended up winning in extra time, and ultimately, won its third straight CNL title. But it was a rough moment for Scally.
On a positive note, the 21-year-old fullback does play regularly for a mid-table club in the Bundesliga, which is always a plus for U.S. players looking to make a national team roster ahead of a major tournament. Especially in this roster, given how competitive the player pool is these days.
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MIDFIELDERS
Age: 25
Birthplace: Wappingers Falls, New York
Club: Bournemouth
Position: Defensive midfielder
Team role: Leader
USMNT caps: 38
When he was 23, the heart-and-soul central midfielder captained his country with distinction as the U.S. advanced to the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup. But the almost two years since have been injury filled for Adams, who didn’t make a single international appearance last year. He stole the show in his March return, though, scoring a sublime Concacaf Nations League-winning goal from long range in the final against Mexico, the Americans’ chief rival.
While back issues limited the New Yorker to just one brief cameo in Bournemouth’s last nine Premier League games in 2023-24, USMNT assistant coach B.J. Callaghan said in late May that Adams is healthy and training without any restrictions as he builds his fitness back to peak level. Barring any setbacks, the native New Yorker should be ready to go for Copa América.
Age: 22
Birthplace: Denville, New Jersey
Club: Real Betis
Position: Defensive midfielder
Team role: Borderline starter
USMNT caps: 11
It’s exceedingly rare for any player to not just switch clubs and leagues — but continents — midseason and step into his new team’s lineup seamlessly. Yet that’s exactly what Cardoso did in January, when he arrived in Spain from Brazilian club Internacional. He made his debut in a 4-2 loss to Barcelona — it was 2-2 when Cardoso was subbed off in the second half — and started 14 more games for Betis the rest of the way, including 90 minutes in the season-ending scoreless tie with Real Madrid, in which he had an apparent goal called back for offside. His steady performances got him a nod as a candidate for La Liga’s young player of the year award. They also drew rumored transfer interest from perennial title contenders Barça. For the U.S., Cardoso remains behind Tyler Adams on coach Gregg Berhalter’s depth chart. With Adams having missed most of the 2023-24 campaign with hamstring and back ailments, he could end up occupying a major role for the Americans at the Copa América.
Age: 25
Birthplace: San Diego, Calif.
Club: Celta de Vigo
Position: Central midfielder
Team role: Key reserve
USMNT caps: 20
Even though he didn’t play at the 2022 World Cup, Luca de la Torre still made the roster and understands what it takes to compete in a major tournament. Next up is Copa America, where the U.S. hopes to challenge powerhouse nations like Argentina and Brazil for a title.
De la Torre missed the March window with an injury, but he’s healthy now and playing for Spanish club Celta. The 25-year-old adds depth and versatility to the midfield off the bench, and is determined to keep improving with every opportunity he gets. He will be a valuable piece for the USMNT this summer.
Age: 21
Birthplace: New York, New York
Club: AC Milan
Position: Central midfielder
Team role: Potential starter
USMNT caps: 35
Before he was even out of his teens, Musah was a World Cup starter for the U.S. who, days before his 20th birthday, shut down future Ballon d’Or candidate Jude Bellingham when the Americans played England to a scoreless tie in the group stage at Qatar 2022.
He’s also the USMNT’s resident Renaissance Man. Born in the Big Apple to Ghanian parents but raised in Italy and England, he was a standout in Arsenal’s academy and captained the Three Lions at youth level. But he left the Gunners for Spain’s Valencia in 2019 and made his La Liga debut a year later, at age 17. Recruited by then U.S. assistant coach (and longtime Valencia reserve team manager) Nico Estevez, he won his first cap in late 2020 and pledged his future to the program a few months later. By the time the last World Cup arrived, he was entrenched as a midfield lock alongside captain Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie.
And while an up-and-down first season in Milan has threatened his in-pen status ahead of the Copa, Musah should still play a huge role for the USMNT at the Copa América.
Age: 25
Birthplace: Little Elm, Texas
Club: Juventus F.C.
Position: Central midfielder
Team role: Star
USMNT caps: 50
Weston McKennie has long been known as the jokester of the USMNT – lightening the mood everywhere from the pitch to the locker room to a press conference. While he’s a free spirit who would rather play Fortnite or watch Harry Potter instead of a soccer game, McKennie is also one of the most valuable players that Gregg Berhalter has in his squad ahead of Copa América.
He’s having one of his best seasons playing for Juventus, where he currently leads Italian league Serie A with nine assists. He’s a playmaker in the midfield, can score goals and maintain possession, and can also play right back if needed as he has done for his club.
He’s a central character for the Americans and will play a key role in helping the USMNT make a run this summer.
Age: 22
Birthplace: Nuremberg, Germany
Club: PSV Eindhoven
Position: Winger/Attacking midfielder
Team role: Backup
USMNT caps: 10
One of U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter’s final cuts before the 2022 World Cup, this Copa América marks Tillman’s first international tournament. The German-born attacker is coming off his breakout season in Europe; on loan from mighty Bayern Munich to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, Tillman started most of PSV’s games as the club ran away with the Eredivisie title and advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League before falling to eventual finalist Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16. He appeared in 40 matches in all, scoring nine goals and adding 15 assists. PSV was so happy with his performance during his maiden campaign in the Netherlands that they made his transfer permanent last month.
Age: 21
Birthplace: Sunderland, United Kingdom
Club: Nottingham Forest
Position: Attacking midfielder/winger
Team role: Star
USMNT caps: 25
Gio Reyna is becoming one of the more talked about players on this USMNT – and not for the reasons you think. Yes, he was a hot topic after the 2022 World Cup following the drama between his family and coach Gregg Berhalter, but now that everybody has moved past that, we can focus on his game.
Reyna put on a fantastic performance as he helped the Americans win their third straight Concacaf Nations League title in March. The 21-year-old had two assists in the semifinal and scored a brilliant goal in the final. Captain Tyler Adams called him “unbelievable” while defender Chris Richards said that Reyna is “killing it.”
The question in the aftermath was if his play would translate to more minutes with his club at Nottingham Forest. It has a little bit – Reyna started in back-to-back matches in April and had an assist in a draw vs. Wolverhampton. But there’s still more potential to be unlocked.
Perhaps that will happen this summer at the Copa América. If the USMNT is to make a run, Reyna figures to play a major role.
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FORWARDS
Age: 26
Birthplace: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Club: AC Milan
Position: Winger
Team role: Star
USMNT caps: 66
The youngest member of the U.S. squad that reached the semifinals of the 2016 Copa América Centenario, the then 17-year-old barely played back then. Now just entering his prime at age 26, Pulisic is well on his way to becoming the best U.S. men’s player of all time. He won the Champions League with Chelsea three years ago and he enters this summer’s Copa coming off the best club season of his career, his first for AC Milan, for which he scored 16 goals across all competitions. Perhaps more important from a national team perspective, he stayed healthy all year, avoiding the frequent soft-tissue injuries that plagued him throughout his four years in England’s Premier League.
It was Pulisic’s goal that beat Iran to send the U.S. to the second round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Pulisic has been U.S. captain for most of the almost two years since, and was wearing the armband when the Americans beat Mexico in March to claim a third consecutive Concacaf Nations League title.
Age: 22
Birthplace: New York, New York
Club: Monaco
Position: Striker
Team role: Potential starter
USMNT caps: 10
As it did with Balogun’s former Arsenal youth team teammate Yunus Musah in 2020, the U.S. won a recruiting war with England to land the coveted striker a year ago, when he was just wrapping up a breakout season on loan from the Gunners to French club Reims. After the London raised forward, who was also eligible to represent Nigeria, became the first American to bag 20 goals or more in one of Europe’s Top Five leagues, he made his USMNT debut in the 2023 Concacaf Nations semifinal win over Mexico. A few days later in the title match, Balogun scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the first half.
A permanent transfer from Arsenal to Ligue 1 power Monaco followed, and while Balogun failed to reproduce his production from a year before, he’s been a consistent starter under U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter with the national team and is perhaps the likeliest candidate to front the Americans attack this summer.
Age: 21
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas
Club: PSV Eindhoven
Position: Striker
Team role: Supersub
USMNT caps: 23
Easily the most surprising omission from coach Gregg Berhalter’s 2022 World Cup squad, the U.S. might not even have made it to Qatar if not for Pepi’s heroics in qualifying, his timely goals against Honduras and Jamaica securing vital wins for his country. Since the snub, the proud Mexican-American forward — who chose to represent the U.S. over El Tri in 2021 — has done just about everything possible to prove that Berhalter’s decision was a mistake. With seven goals, Pepi finished second on the USMNT scoring charts last year. Five of those came after entering as a substitute, a program record. The former FC Dallas prodigy was similarly prolific off the bench during his first season with Dutch power PSV, with all nine of his tallies coming as a sub — including a game-winning UEFA Champions League goal over Sevilla that sent PSV to the knockout phase of the tournament for the first time since 2016.
Age: 23
Birthplace: Medford, NJ
Club: Leeds United
Position: Attacking midfielder/winger
Team role: Key reserve
USMNT caps: 39
Brendan Aaronson’s club play overseas has been up and down. He got off to a tough start in Germany, but has played more regularly for Union Berlin in the latter part of this season. Aaronson, who got his start playing for the Philadelphia Union, has played in 28 matches in the Bundesliga and has scored two goals with one assist.
While Gregg Berhalter would love for him to get more minutes, he’s still an important part of the USMNT. Aaronson was on the squad when it won the Concacaf Nations League title in March and played in both the semifinal match against Jamaica and the final against Mexico.
Age: 24
Birthplace: New York, New York
Club: Juventus
Position: Winger/wing back
Team role: Starter
USMNT caps: 37
The Brooklyn-born son of Ballon d’or winner (and Liberia’s former president) George Weah has already made his own name with the USMNT. Weah scored the Americans’ first goal at the 2022 World Cup, helping his side earn a 1-1 tie with Wales. But with starting right back Sergino Dest ruled out of this summer’s Copa América because of an ACL injury, the lightning quick former Celtic, Lille and Paris Saint-Germain man could get pressed into duty as an attack-minded outside defender. It’s a position Weah manned often in his first season with Italian titan Juventus in 2023-24. “I learned how to be a better defender and build my defensive minded approach,” he told FOX Sports last month. “I’m a player that loves to win so I will do anything to get us a win.” He’s done lots of winning for both club and country. In addition to his three Concacaf Nations League triumphs with the U.S., he’s won league titles in Scotland and France. In May, he helped Juve capture the Coppa Italia for the 15h time and first since 2021.
Age: 26
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Club: Coventry City
Position: Winger/Striker
Team role: Potential starter
USMNT caps: 9
No American player’s stock has risen more over the last three months. Despite a breakout debut season in England’s second tier — one that finished with Wright scoring 16 league goals — the rangy center forward wasn’t originally included on the U.S. roster for the Concacaf Nations League Finals in March.
But an injury to Josh Sargent opened up a spot. So USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter extended an invitation to Wright for the first time since the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he was one of three American scorers along with Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah. Wright wasn’t about to squander the opportunity. With the U.S. and Jamaica tied in extra time of the Nations League semifinals in suburban Dallas, Wright’s brace put the Americans in the championship match. He then started the final, a 2-0 “dos a cero” win over historic U.S. nemesis Mexico.
Wright also starred in Coventry’s unlikely run to semifinals of the 2023-24 FA Cup, bagging the goal that got them there and adding another in the shootout loss at Wembley Stadium against eventual champion Manchester United. Last month, he was named to the FA Cup team of the season alongside Premier League standouts like Kevin De Bruyne, Cole Palmer and Raphael Varane.
Age: 24
Birthplace: O’Fallon, Missouri
Club: Norwich City
Position: Striker
Team role: Key reserve
USMNT caps: 23
When it comes to the age-old question of who will break out and grab the starting striker role for the USMNT, Josh Sargent seems to be making a strong argument.
The 23-year-old was featured in the U.S. starting lineup during the 2022 World Cup, but he’s since been hampered by injuries and hasn’t been in a national team camp since. After missing the squad’s March window, Sargent is hoping Copa América can mark his valiant return. And given the way he’s been playing at club level, that seems realistic.
Sargent, a regular starter for Norwich City this second half of the season, is in form and currently leads the team with 16 goals. His production has been key for a team looking for promotion to the Premier League, and he hopes that translates to helping the USMNT win this summer.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered the United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him at @ByDougMcIntyre.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.
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