Latest Update on US Men’s National Team for the Gold Cup
Folarin Balogun has become the most recent player to withdraw from the US men’s national team roster for the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer, joining fellow absentees Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, and Yunus Musah. The Monaco striker is unable to participate due to an ankle issue sustained last month while playing in Ligue 1, leading to his replacement by Eintracht Frankfurt winger Paxten Aaronson on the 27-man training camp roster.
Additionally, the team made two more changes on Sunday due to injuries. DeJuan Jones from San Jose Earthquakes is sidelined with "lower body injuries," and Columbus Crew’s Sean Zawazki is dealing with knee problems. This comes shortly after Patrick Schulte had to leave the camp, being replaced by Chris Brady from Chicago Fire.
Veterans Nathan Harriel and Walker Zimmerman, who played key roles in the 2022 World Cup, have been brought in to fill the gaps left by Jones and Zawazki. With 43 caps, Zimmerman is now one of the most experienced players at camp, alongside Tim Ream and Matt Turner, and he was part of the team that clinched the Gold Cup in 2021.
Aaronson, the younger sibling of seasoned national team player Brenden Aaronson, enjoyed a successful loan spell at Utrecht last year, scoring six goals and providing four assists over 28 matches. He, along with Harriel and Zimmerman, were formerly teammates on the US Olympic team that advanced to the second round in Paris last summer.
The team is gearing up for two warm-up matches ahead of the Gold Cup, starting with a game against Turkey in East Hartford, Connecticut, followed by a clash with Switzerland in Nashville, Tennessee. Meanwhile, Pochettino’s squad is set to compete against Trinidad and Tobago in a tournament in San Jose, California, on June 15.
Doug McIntyre is a football journalist for Fox Sports, having covered both the US Men’s and Women’s national teams across five continents. Follow him here.
Fan Take:
This news is crucial for soccer enthusiasts as it highlights the ongoing challenges of player injuries and team formations, impacting the overall competitiveness of the US national team. With upcoming matches that will test the depth of the squad, fans should keep a close watch on how these changes might shape the team’s performance in the Gold Cup.
