USMNT vet Zimmerman in U.S. pre-Olympic squad
Written by I Dig SportsNashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman was the only overage player selected Wednesday for the United States' 25-man training camp roster ahead of its final pre-Olympic friendly, against Japan on June 11 at Kansas City, Kansas.
The U.S. qualified for its first men's Olympic soccer tournament since 2008 and will open against host France on July 24 and play New Zealand three days later, both at Marseille, then finish the first round on July 30 against Guinea at Saint-Étienne.
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Men's Olympic soccer is limited to players under 23, with each team allowed three players over the age limit on its 18-man roster.
Zimmerman, 31, has 42 international appearances and played for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup.
Nineteen of the 25 players picked by coach Marko Mitrovic have appeared for the senior national team, including defender Bryan Reynolds, midfielders Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann, and forwards Paxten Aaronson, Cade Cowell and Kevin Paredes.
Ten players are from Major League Soccer.
Among the omissions were Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady, Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna and Dallas winger Bernard Kamungo.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Patrick Schulte (Columbus), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea, England).
Defenders: Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy), Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo, Belgium), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Tomkinson (Norwich, England), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville).
Midfielders: Cole Bassett (Colorado), Gianluca Busio (Venezia, Italy), Benjamin Cremaschi (Miami), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia), Aidan Morris (Columbus), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split, Croatia), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia, Italy).
Forwards: Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England), Taylor Booth (Utrecht, Netherlands), Cade Cowell (Guadalajara, Mexico), Damion Downs (Cologne, Germany), Johan Gomez (Eintracht Braunschweig, Germany), Duncan McGuire (Orlando), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg, Germany), Griffin Yow (Westerlo, Belgium).