A pivotal USMNT summer begins with a roster full of European experience

The U.S. men’s national team will kick off a pivotal summer with a roster short on consequential decisions and long on European experience.

It is not quite the USMNT’s Copa América roster. That will be announced on or around June 14, after friendlies against Colombia (June 8) and Brazil (June 12), before a June 15 deadline.

But the 27-player squad announced Monday is a somewhat-clear window into head coach Gregg Berhalter’s thinking as the pan-American tournament nears.

Berhalter, though, avoided his trickiest decision for now. He named four strikers to the training camp squad — Folarin Balogun, Haji Wright, Josh Sargent and Ricardo Pepi — all four of whom are contenders for crucial roles at the Copa América.

A few months ago, speaking to reporters in a Maryland hotel conference room, Berhalter said that he’d “probably” take “two or three” pure strikers to the tournament. With Copa América rosters expanding from 23 to 26 players — a change that CONMEBOL, the tournament’s organizer, confirmed last week — he will almost surely take at least three.

And he could even take all four, because the rest of his roster is now stocked with known quantities, some of whom are coming off their best European seasons to date.

On the wings, Christian Pulisic set personal bests — 15 goals and 9 assists — in his first 10 months at AC Milan; and Tim Weah just won a trophy, the Coppa Italia, at Juventus.

In midfield, also at Juve, after being nudged toward exit doors last summer, Weston McKennie delivered the strongest season of pro career.

In Spain, Luca de la Torre settled at Celta Vigo; and Johnny Cardoso impressed at Real Betis.

Tyler Adams, on the other hand, struggled with injuries; Gio Reyna and Yunus Musah struggled for playing time. But all three have proven themselves with the national team. A seven-man midfield — rounded out by Malik Tillman, and supplemented by the versatile Brenden Aaronson — seems all but set.

(The training camp roster includes an eighth midfielder, Timmy Tillman, Malik’s brother. But he could be the odd man out when the roster is trimmed to 26 for the Copa América.)

Even in defense, Chris Richards battled admirably for and won a regular place at Crystal Palace. Cameron Carter-Vickers won another Scottish title at Celtic. They could be the USMNT’s first-choice center back pairing this summer — especially with Tim Ream having lost his starting place at Fulham.

On the left side of defense, also at Fulham, Antonee Robinson was a near-ironman in the Premier League.

The only question mark, then, is at right back, where Sergiño Dest typically dazzles. Dest tore his ACL this spring, leaving Joe Scally as the likely starter.

Behind them, depth has dried up. Berhalter’s backup choice appears to be Shaq Moore, the third-stringer from the 2022 World Cup, and one of only four MLS players on this 27-player roster. (The others: center back Miles Robinson, third-string goalkeeper Sean Johnson, and Timmy Tillman.)

That Moore, Johnson and Mark McKenzie seem like the most notable inclusions, though, says a lot about the state of the USMNT. The roster is largely settled. The challenge, now, is for these 26-27 players to grow into a unit that can compete with elite teams — the type they’ll have to beat to hit lofty 2026 World Cup ambitions.

Their first and perhaps only only opportunity will come against the best of South America. The Copa, which kicks of June 20, will be something of a World Cup dress rehearsal.

The USMNT’s preparations for it, and a two-year runway toward the World Cup, will begin next week in Washington D.C. suburbs. Players begin reporting May 28. All will arrive by June 2. And a busy summer of soccer will be underway.

USMNT roster for pre-Copa América friendlies

GOALKEEPERS (3): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City), Sean Johnson (Toronto), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest)

DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Shaq Moore (Nashville), Tim Ream (Fulham), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven), Timmy Tillman (LAFC)

FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 23/10), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 23/5), Tim Weah (Juventus/ITA; 37/5), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 9/4)

USMNT projected Copa América starting 11

The USMNT’s most likely starting lineup for it’s Copa América opener — June 23 vs. Bolivia in Arlington, Texas — is:

Goalkeeper: Matt Turner
Defenders: Joe Scally, Chris Richards, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Antonee Robinson
Midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna
Forwards: Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic