USA vs. New Zealand: Starting XI & Lineup Notes

LINEUP NOTES
U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team vs. New Zealand
2024 Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament Match No. 10
July 27, 2024
Stade de Marseille; Marseille, France
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET on USA Network, Telemundo and Peacock
Social Media: @USYNT on X and Instagram; U.S. Soccer on Facebook, the U.S. Soccer App

Today’s U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team Starting XI vs. New Zealand: 1-Patrick Schulte, 2-Nathan Harriel, 3-Walker Zimmerman, 5-John Tolkin, 6-Gianluca Busio, 7-Kevin Paredes, 8-Tanner Tessmann (Capt.), 11-Paxten Aaronson, 12-Miles Robinson, 13-Duncan McGuire, 14-Djordje Mihailovic

Substitutes: 18-Gaga Slonina, 4-Maximilian Dietz, 9-Griffin Yow, 10-Taylor Booth, 15-Benjamin Cremaschi, 16-Jack McGlynn, 17-Caleb Wiley

GAME NOTES

• Head coach Marko Mitrović deploys the same starting XI from the USA’s opening match vs. France on Wednesday night.
• Starting XI Under-23 cap numbers (including this match): Tessmann (12), Mihailovic (11), Harriel (9), Tolkin (9), Busio (8), Aaronson (7), McGuire (7), Zimmerman (6), Schulte (5), Paredes (4), Robinson (4)
• Starting XI senior U.S. Men’s National Team cap numbers: Zimmerman (42), Robinson (29), Mihailovic (11), Busio (13), Tolkin (4), Paredes (3), Tessmann (2), Aaronson (1), McGuire (1), Schulte (1), Harriel (0)
• Sixteen of the roster’s 18 players made their Olympic debut against France. Goalkeeper Gaga Slonina and midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi are the two players yet to take the field on the Olympic stage.
• The Olympic Men’s Soccer Tournament is restricted to players under the age of 23, with an allowance for three overage players. All three U.S. overage players start tonight: Djordje Mihailovic (25 years old), Miles Robinson (27) and Walker Zimmerman (31).
• Of the USA’s 11 overage players since the rule was introduced for Atlanta 1996, Zimmerman (42 caps) ranks as the fifth-most experienced player at the senior level, behind Jeff Agoos (101 caps before Sydney 2000), Brian McBride (95; Beijing 2008), Alexi Lalas (69; Atlanta 1996) and Brad Friedel (66; Sydney 2000).
• Tessmann captains the squad tonight, his sixth time wearing the armband over this cycle’s eight games. He’s served as captain in every match for the Olympic Men’s Soccer Team since Nov. 18 vs. Iraq.
• All players in the Starting XI have played in Major League Soccer or developed in a MLS academy. In addition to current MLS clubs, members of the squad also spent time with the following MLS or MLS Next outfits: Aaronson (Philadelphia Union), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City), Nathan Harriel (Chargers SC), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire FC, CF Montreal), Kevin Paredes (D.C. United, Bethesda SC), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United FC, FC Greater Boston Bolts), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas) and Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas, LAFC).
• Defenders Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman have paired together in central defense for the senior USMNT and the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team ten times, compiling a 7W-2L-1D record. All USMNT matches came in official competition (2021 Concacaf Gold Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying) plus Wednesday’s game vs. France, their first appearance together at the Olympic level.
• Starting midfielders Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann play together in Italy for Venezia. The pair led the club’s promotion to Serie A during the 2023-24 season and has started together in five of eight matches for the Olympic team so far this cycle.
• Busio and Tessmann are the second and third players based in Italy to represent the U.S. Men at the Olympics after Danny Szetala (Beijing 2008, Brescia).
• Tessmann is the first U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer player from Alabama, while Duncan McGuire (Nebraska) and Gianluca Busio (North Carolina) are the second from their respective states, joining Aage Brix (Paris 1924) and Eddie Pope (Atlanta 1996) respectively.
• This is the first meeting between the U.S. and New Zealand at the Olympic Games.
• The U.S. is 4W-4L-5D in the group stage since the Under-23 rule was introduced in 1992.
• Glenn Nyberg of Sweden is the referee for tonight’s match. He officiated at this summer’s UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup Final.