USMNT Copa America 2024 squad: Who Gregg Berhalter will take to the tournament

Matt Turner remains the USMNT’s No. 1, and despite his lack of minutes at club level for Nottingham Forest, it doesn’t feel like that’ll change any time soon. There isn’t quite anyone in position to challenge him at the moment, and his U.S. performances have never shown any sign of dropping off.

Behind him, Ethan Horvath remains the clear backup, although there’s some debate about that third spot. For the June camp, Berhalter has called up TFC’s Sean Johnson – a USMNT veteran – over Inter Miami’s Drake Callender in a small twist.

At right-back, Sergino Dest was set to be the go-to starter before his untimely injury. Joe Scally is the most likely to replace him as a more defensive option, with other options being Tim Weah and Shaq Moore.

Antonee Robinson is a lock at left-back, while Kristoffer Lund will provide backup on the flank.

Centrally, Tim Ream and Chris Richards seem to be the consensus starters but all three of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie and Miles Robinson will be competing for minutes this June in an attempt to secure a final roster spot.

The MMA midfield of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams carried the USMNT through the 2022 World Cup, and that trio could very well return this summer. Behind Adams, the U.S. has a new backup No.6 in Johnny Cardoso, while Luca de la Torre is the guy to come in if McKennie or Musah are absent.

The big question remains whether Berhalter will invert the midfield to deploy a No.10. If he does so, Gio Reyna should be the starter, although Berhalter could go with Malik Tillman given his current form at PSV.

Other options include Brenden Aaronson and Timmy Tillman – who are both vying for a roster spot this June camp.

With Reyna and Tillman likely to provide depth out wide, Berhalter can select an extra striker to add some versatility in the No. 9 position. At the moment, those spots will almost certainly fall to Haji Wright, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Josh Sargent – the question is which one of them starts.

Out wide, the options essentially pick themselves. Christian Pulisic will start on the left, while Tim Weah will be on the right; unless he is deployed in a more defensive role.

Much of the USMNT XI is pretty locked in. The attack is largely settled, as is the defense, so the questions really lie in midfield.

Does Berhalter go with a 4-2-3-1 to bring a No. 10 into the mix, or does he stick with the trusty 4-3-3 that worked so well all of last cycle? With Adams returning and inching closer to full fitness in time for the summer, we’ll lean toward the latter option, particularly when the U.S. plays against the best teams in the tournament.

That said, we’ll almost certainly see a 4-2-3-1, particularly in the group stages. That can be kept in the back pocket, which is always a good thing heading into a major tournament

USMNT XI (4-3-3): Turner; Scally, Richards, Ream, A.Robinson; Adams, McKennie, Musah; Weah, Balogun, Pulisic.

Largely, the U.S. has a relatively clean bill of health, particularly with Adams recently making his return from injury at Bournemouth. There are two big absentees.

Dest is the major one, with his absence robbing the U.S. of the team’s starting right-back. Losing Dest is a brutal blow, one which will dramatically alter what this team can do tactically.

Daryl Dike, meanwhile, is also out for the rest of 2024 after suffering his second Achilles injury in as many years.