PREVIEW: MNT Faces Tough Test vs. World Heavyweights France | June 9 | 3 p.m. ET | ESPN, UniMas

CHICAGO (June 6, 2018) – After a rousing 3-0 win against Bolivia in Philadelphia and a last-minute 2-1 loss to Ireland in Dublin, the MNT will take on France in the finale of its 2018 summer tour Saturday, June 9 in Lyon. Ranked No. 7 in the world, Les Bleus are loaded with top-tier talent, and will provide the most difficult test yet for a MNT roster with an average age of just 23 years.

Coverage from Groupama Stadium in Lyon kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN and UniMas. Fans can also follow along via U.S. Soccer’s official Facebook, Twitter (@ussoccer_MNT) and Instagram (@ussoccer_MNT) accounts.

U.S. MNT Roster by Position (Club; Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (Midtjylland/DEN; 6/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 2/0), William Yarbrough (Club León/MEX; 3/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG; 3/0), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 15/1), Matt Miazga (Chelsea/ENG; 6/1), Shaq Moore (Levante/ESP; 1/0), Erik Palmer-Brown (Manchester City/ENG; 1/0), Tim Parker (New York Red Bulls; 1/0), Antonee Robinson (Everton/ENG; 1/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 18/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/ENG; 51/0)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; 4/0), Joe Corona (Club America/MEX; 22/3), Luca de la Torre (Fulham/ENG; 1/0) Julian Green (Stuttgart/GER; 9/3), Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 3/1), Keaton Parks (Benfica/POR; 1/0), Rubio Rubin (Club Tijuana/MEX; 7/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 5/0), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 3/1)
FORWARDS (3): Andrija Novakovich (Reading/ENG; 2/0), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 2/1), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 38/12)

STORYLINES

PLENTY TO LEARN FROM 2-1 DEFEAT AT THE DEATH TO IRELAND
At Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, a young MNT battled for 89 minutes to a 1-1 draw against an experienced Ireland squad. Buoyed by a raucous crowd, the Irish attack was relentless down the stretch after a 57th minute equalizer. The home team broke through again in the 90th minute, as James McClean turned on net and Alan Judge hammered home the game-winning goal.

Bobby Wood netted just before the half to open the scoring off a set piece, but a defensive breakdown on an Irish set piece led to the equalizer after the break. Judge’s late goal ended a back-and-forth battle and a four-match unbeaten streak for the USA (2-0-2).

BOBBY WOOD JOINS MNT’S TOP EUROPEAN GOALSCORERS
Bobby Wood joined the MNT roster in Europe to provide some veteran experience, and the 25-year-old forward is well-versed in scoring overseas. While the current two-game European set provides the young roster exposure to top-level competition in difficult environments, Wood shone in a similar trip early in his MNT career, scoring game-winning goals in back-to-back wins against Netherlands and reigning World Cup champion Germany in June 2015.

Now the second-most senior player on the roster, Wood delivered the opening goal for the MNT in Dublin. At the end of the first half, Matt Miazga headed a long Wil Trapp free kick towards the net, and Wood charged forward to tap it home. The goal, Wood’s third on the continent, made him one of just six MNT players all-time to score three or more goals for the MNT in Europe.

1. Jozy Altidore	5	Slovenia (2011); Bosnia-Herzegovina-3 (2013); Colombia (in London, England; 2014)
Aldo “Buff” Donnelli	5	Mexico-4* (in Rome, Italy), Italy** (1934)
Bruce Murray	5	East Germany, Switzerland, Austria**, Poland (1990); Romania (1991)
2. Clint Dempsey	4	Poland (in Kaiserslautern, Germany; 2006), Ghana** (in Nuremburg, Germany; 2006) Slovenia (2011), Italy (2012)
3. Peter Vermes	3	East Germany, Liechtenstein, Poland (1990)
Bobby Wood	3	Netherlands, Germany (2015); Ireland (2018)

*World Cup Qualifying
**World Cup

A YEAR OF FIRSTS
As the MNT enters its next chapter, there has been no shortage of opportunity under head coach Dave Sarachan. Since his first game in November, 17 players have picked up their first caps for the USA, while 24 have earned their first invites to MNT camp. In games just in 2018, 14 players have made their debut, good for the third-most in a year for the USA less than halfway through. In the five games since November, 46 players have logged minutes for the MNT. Signaling an emphasis on the future, only 11 appeared during the Final Round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

SARGENT, WEAH WRITE HISTORY IN MNT’S 3-0 WIN AGAINST BOLIVIA
The U.S. Men’s National Team opened its summer tour with an impressive 3-0 win against Bolivia on Monday night at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa. Walker Zimmerman headed home his first international goal in the 37th minute before the 18-year-old duo of Josh Sargent and Tim Weah made some history. At 18 years, 102 days, Sargent became the second-youngest player in the modern era to score a goal for the MNT in his debut and fourth-youngest all-time, when he found the back of the net in the 52nd minute. Not to be outdone by his teammate at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup, Weah also scored his first goal for the MNT seven minutes later, finishing a low cross from Antonee Robinson. Born two days after Sargent, Weah (18 years, 100 days) jumped ahead of Sargent to become the fourth-youngest to find the back of the net for the MNT, pushing Sargent to fifth.

YOUTH MOVEMENT CONTINUES
Handing the MNT’s next generation of prospective players opportunities with the senior team has been a theme since last November, and head coach Dave Sarachan has continued with that philosophy in his current roster selection. The 24-player squad that headed to Europe averaged out at 23 years, 102 days of age, just slightly higher than the group that gathered in Philadelphia ahead of the Bolivia match (22 years, 286 days). Each of the four rosters Sarachan has named in 2018 has averaged 24 years or under, with his selections for the game against Bolivia and European tour as the first and second youngest, respectively. To underline the point, only three players on the Europe-bound roster were born before 1990: Eric Lichaj (1988), Jorge Villafaña and William Yarbrough (both 1989).

DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY PAYING DIVIDENDS
While youngsters are getting their opportunity with the MNT, many of them are rising to the senior team after advancing through U.S. Soccer’s development pathway. Thirteen players, including Tyler Adams, Rubio Rubin and Josh Sargent, have been on the final roster at a Youth World Cup, while a total of 14 players have come through the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

FRANCE-USA NOTES

• The USA will play France for just the fourth time in its history. The MNT is 0-3-0 all-time against Les Bleus.
• The last meeting between the nations came Nov. 11, 2011, a 1-0 defeat at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
• Only one U.S. player returns from that team: goalkeeper Bill Hamid was rostered but did not play.
• Three French players faced the USA in 2011: goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, defender Adil Rami and forward Olivier Giroud. Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda was rostered but did not play.
• The USA is coming off its first defeat of 2018, a last-minute 2-1 loss to Ireland in Dublin.
• France’s 23-player roster carries an average of 25 caps, while a green USA squad averages just eight caps per player.
• The French roster’s age averages 26 years, 14 days, almost three years older than the USA’s 23 years, 66 days.
• The MNT has previously played three matches in Lyon, beginning with a 2-1 defeat to Iran at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The MNT fell 1-0 to Brazil in its second game of the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup before drawing Cameroon 0-0 in the group finale in the same venue.
  

USA-France All-Time Results

Date	Result	Location	U.S. Goal Scorers	Competition
May 2, 1979	0-6 L	East Rutherford, N.J.	-	Friendly
Oct. 10, 1979	0-3 L	Paris, France	-	Friendly
Nov. 11, 2011	0-1 L	Saint-Denis, France	-	Friendly

USA ROSTER NOTES

• The average age of the MNT roster has risen slightly. The group that was gathered in Philadelphia came in at 22 years, 286 days, while the roster that travelled to Europe averages out at 23 years, 102 days.
• Fifteen players are age 23 or under, while only three were born before 1990.
• The 24-player roster represents clubs in nine different countries: England (8), Germany (4), Mexico (4), USA (4), Denmark (1), France (1), Portugal (1), Spain (1).
• Twenty-one players are based in Europe or Mexico, while four – Tyler Adams and Tim Parker (New York Red Bulls), Zack Steffen and Will Trapp (Columbus Crew SC) – represent MLS clubs.
• Midfielder Kenny Saief departed camp with a right leg injury Wednesday. Saief picked up the injury at the end of his club season. He did not dress for the Ireland friendly and was limited in training.
• DeAndre Yedlin (51 caps) and Bobby Wood (38) lead the way as the most seasoned players on the roster. They are followed by Joe Corona (22), Jorge Villafaña (18) and Eric Lichaj (15).
• Nineteen players have seven or fewer international caps.
• Nine players are age-eligible for participation in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (born after Jan. 1, 1997): Tyler Adams, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Erik Palmer-Brown, Keaton Parks, Antonee Robinson, Josh Sargent and Tim Weah.
• With 51 caps, DeAndre Yedlin is the senior statesmen on the European roster and comes to the MNT after playing in 34 of 38 league matches for Newcastle United, helping the Magpies to a 10th place finish in the English Premier League this season.
• Columbus Crew SC captain Wil Trapp has worn the U.S. armband in his last three appearances, the 0-0 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 1-0 win against Paraguay and the 2-1 loss to Ireland.
• Columbus Crew SC goalkeeper Zack Steffen arrives in camp riding a club record five-match shutout streak that spans 505 minutes.
• Having played a part for newly-promoted English Premier League side Fulham this season, U.S. 2017 U-20 World Cup veteran Luca de la Torre earns his first MNT call-up.
• De la Torre, Shaq Moore and Tim Parker earned their first senior team caps against Ireland.
• William Yarbrough returns to the MNT fold for the first time since November 2016.
• With his 52nd minute strike against Bolivia, Josh Sargent (18 years, 102 days) became the second-youngest MNT player in the modern era to score in his international debut. He sits behind only Juan Agudelo who was 17 years, 359 days when he tallied in the USA’s 1-0 win at South Africa on Nov. 17, 2010.
• Tim Weah’s 59th minute goal against Bolivia made him the fourth-youngest MNT goal-scorer all-time. Weah follows Christian Pulisic (17 years, 253 days; May 28, 2016 vs. Bolivia), Agudelo (Nov. 17, 2010 at South Africa) and Jozy Altidore (18 years, 96 days; Feb. 6, 2008 vs. Mexico). Sargent’s goal seven minutes earlier makes him the MNT’s fifth youngest goal-scorer (18 years, 102 days), just two days behind Weah.  
• Both Joe Corona and Antonee Robinson recorded their first international assists against Bolivia. Corona served the corner kick to Zimmerman for his opening goal, while Robinson, who also made his debut, provided the helper on Weah’s 59th minute strike.
• Matt Miazga came to camp last week after scoring the game-winning goal in Vitesse’s 2-1 defeat of Utrecht in the second leg of the Eredivisie’s Europa League Qualifying Playoff Final. Signed to English club Chelsea, Miazga turned in another strong season on loan with the Dutch club, appearing in 43 of a possible 45 matches across all competitions, while contributing four goals. 
• Twenty-year-old center back Cameron Carter-Vickers got a great taste of first-team football while on loan this past season, playing 17 league matches for both Sheffield United and more recently Ipswich Town. Earlier this week, Carter-Vickers signed a contract extension with Tottenham Hotspur through 2021.
• Having made 17 appearances during the Clausura campaign, veteran defender Jorge Villafaña helped Santos Laguna secure the Liga MX Clausura title before joining the MNT last Tuesday. He is one of three U.S. internationals to win a league title in the United States and Mexico, along with Omar Gonzalez and Herculez Gomez.
• Weston McKennie is coming off his first full season with Schalke. The central midfielder made 22 league appearances in helping Die Knappen to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga and a spot in next season’s Champions League.
• Forward Andrija Novakovich closed out his impressive campaign on loan from Reading with Dutch Erstedivisie side Telstar, scoring 21 goals in 37 league matches while helping the club to the promotion playoffs.
• One of only two players (alongside Yedlin) on the roster with FIFA World Cup experience, Julian Green earned his first MNT cap since October 2016 in Monday’s 3-0 win vs. Bolivia. Green comes off a season on loan with German side Greuther Fürth, where his goal on the final day of the season helped the club avoid relegation from the 2.Bundesliga.
• A total of 13 players (or more than half the roster) have been part of the final U.S. squad at a Youth World Cup: Tyler Adams, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Luca de la Torre, Matt Miazga, Shaq Moore, Erik Palmer-Brown, Rubio Rubin, Josh Sargent, Zack Steffen, Wil Trapp, Jorge Villafaña, Tim Weah and DeAndre Yedlin.
• Fourteen players are alumni of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Luca de la Torre (Nomads SC), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas), Andrija Novakovich (Chicago Magic PSG), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting KC), Rubio Rubin (Portland Timbers), Josh Sargent (St. Louis Scott Gallagher-Missouri), Zack Steffen (FC DELCO), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC), Tim Weah (New York Red Bulls/BW Gottschee), DeAndre Yedlin (Crossfire Premier/Seattle Sounders FC).

France Roster (Club; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 0/0), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG; 97/0), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 27/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Lucas Hernández (Atlético Madrid/ESP; 4/0), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 2/0), Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City/ENG; 6/0), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart/GER; 5/0), Adil Rami (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 35/1), Djibril Sidibé (Monaco/FRA; 16/1), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona/ESP; 18/2), Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid/ESP; 41/2)
MIDFIELDERS (6): N’Golo Kante (Chelsea/ENG; 23/1), Thomas Lemar (Monaco/FRA; 11/3), Blaise Matuidi (Juventus/ITA; 66/9), Steve Nzozi (Sevilla/ESP; 4/0), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/ENG; 53/9), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich/GER; 8/0)
FORWARDS (6): Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona/ESP; 11/2), Nabil Fekir (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 11/2), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea/ENG; 73/31), Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid/ESP; 53/20), Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 14/3), Florian Thauvin (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 4/0)

FRANCE NOTES

• France qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup as winners of Group A, topping the likes of Sweden, Netherlands and Bulgaria.
• The match-up with the USA is France’s third and final World Cup send-off game. Les Bleus took down Italy 3-1 on June 1 and Ireland 2-0 on May 28.
• France has only one loss in its last 11 matches (8-2-1), a 3-2 defeat in March to Colombia in Saint-Denis.
• Five different players have scored for France in its last two games: Ousmane Dembele of Barcelona, Nabil Fekir of Olympique Lyon, Olivier Giroud of Chelsea, Antoine Griezmann of Atlético Madrid and Samuel Umtiti of Barcelona.
• Giroud has scored in four of France’s last seven games.
• Hugo Lloris leads Les Bleus as their captain and most experienced player (97 caps).
• Head coach Didier Deschamps has managed the French national team since 2012. The 2018 FIFA World Cup will mark his third major competition at the helm of Les Bleus. The 1998 World Cup-winner led France to the quarterfinals of the 2014 tournament and the final of the 2016 Euro.
• Prior to taking over for France, Deschamps managed some of the biggest clubs in France and Italy. As a player in 1993, he captained Marseille to the first and only UEFA Champions League title won by a French club.
• All 23 players called to France’s squad play for European clubs, many with significant Champions League experience. Full club/country distribution: France (9), Spain (6), England (5), Germany (2), Italy (1).
• France was drawn into Group C for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, alongside Australia, Demark and Peru