U.S. Men’s National Team to Conclude Annual January Camp with Costa Rica Friendly in Orlando
CHICAGO (Jan. 21, 2025)—The U.S. Men’s National Team will conclude its annual January camp with a friendly against Costa Rica on Jan. 22 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando.
The renewal of this closely contested Concacaf rivalry will mark the USA’s sixth game under coach Mauricio Pochettino and the first meeting between the nations in nearly three years.
Kickoff in Orlando is at 7 p.m. ET and the match will be broadcast on TNT, TruTV, Universo, Max, Peacock and Fútbol de Primera radio. Tickets are available here.
Fans are also encouraged to follow the action during the match on social media. You can stay up-to-date by following @USMNT on X and Instagram and U.S. Soccer on Facebook.
The young U.S. squad, which features 14 men with three or fewer caps, is coming off an impressive 3-1 victory over Venezuela on Jan. 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This year’s January camp represents the start of a pivotal 2025, which will be anchored by the Concacaf Nations League final four in March and then the Concacaf Gold Cup in June and July.
DETAILED USA ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Matt Freese (New York City FC; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 3/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 29/0)
DEFENDERS (7): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 1/0), George Campbell (CF Montréal; 1/0), DeJuan Jones (Columbus Crew; 9/0), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas; 20/1), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 66/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 31/3), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 42/3)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami; 2/0), Emeka Eneli (Real Salt Lake; 1/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 2/0), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; 2/1)
FORWARDS (6): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 1/1), Caden Clark (CF Montréal; 1/0), Brian Gutiérrez (Chicago Fire; 1/0), Matko Miljevic (Huracán/ARG; 1/1), Indiana Vassilev (St. Louis City; 1/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps; 2/0)
LAST TIME OUT
Eight players made their USMNT debut and three scored their first goal as the USA opened 2025 with a 3-1 triumph over Venezuela at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
An eventful afternoon began with a third-minute penalty kick by Matko Miljevic that was saved by Vinotinto goalkeeper Wuilker Feríñez, who had blanked the USA in a 2019 friendly. But the young Americans were undeterred, and they took the lead in the 37th on a stunning, 30-yard strike from midfielder Jack McGlynn.
Two minutes later, Patrick Agyemang doubled the lead with a goal on his debut. He ran onto a ball that had been deflected by Miljevic and calmly beat the charging Feríñez with a low, left-footed shot.
McGlynn and Miljevic then teamed up for a third in the 64th, as their full field give-and-go ended with Miljevic’s low, 20-yard blast to the left. Venezuela pulled one back off a corner kick in the 68th, but the USA then coolly closed the game out.
Starters Agyemang, Miljevic, Max Arfsten, George Campbell, Caden Clark and Brian Gutiérrez earned their first cap, along with substitutes Emeka Eneli and Indiana Vassilev.
The USA is now 4W-1L-0D under Pochettino and is currently ranked 16th in the world by FIFA.
JANUARY CAMP: THE WINTER SPRINGBOARD
For more than a quarter century, U.S. Soccer has been leveraging the long MLS offseason to bolster the USMNT player pool. While the competitive stakes aren’t usually as high during winter matches played outside FIFA’s international windows (the 2002 Gold Cup and a 2006 World Cup qualifier were exceptions), the long-term rewards can be life changing.
January camp offers players who may be young, inexperienced or on the fringe of the USMNT picture the chance to train and play in a national team environment. It’s an opportunity to get seen and prove themselves. A good January camp has kickstarted the international career of numerous USMNT legends.
Since the beginning of the 2002 World Cup cycle, 30 men who earned their first or second senior cap during a January/winter camp went on to make a World Cup roster. Seventeen of those 30 made the World Cup squad at the end of the same cycle. Among the 26 players who went to Qatar in 2022, nine won their first or second cap at a January camp.
The 30 American players who earned their first or second cap during a winter camp and then made a World Cup squad (January camp year; World Cup years):
Brenden Aaronson (2020; 2022), Kellyn Acosta (2016; 2022), Tyler Adams (2018; 2022), Jozy Altidore (2008; 2010, 2014), DaMarcus Beasley (2001; 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014), Kyle Beckerman (2007; 2014), Alejandro Bedoya (2010; 2014), Matt Besler ((2013; 2014), Carlos Bocanegra (2002; 2006, 2010), Jonathan Bornstein (2007; 2010), Geoff Cameron (2010; 2014), Ricardo Clark (2007; 2010), Clint Dempsey (2005; 2006, 2010, 2014), Mix Diskerud (2011; 2014), Landon Donovan (2001; 2002, 2006, 2010), Jesús Ferreira (2020; 2022), Omar Gonzalez (2011; 2014), Brad Guzan (2006; 2010, 2014), Sean Johnson (2011; 2022), Carlos Llamosa (1999; 2002), Clint Mathis (1999; 2002), Ben Olsen (1999; 2006), Tim Ream (2011; 2022), Nick Rimando (2003; 2014), Cristian Roldan (2018; 2022), Matt Turner (2021; 2022), Chris Wondolowski (2011; 2014), DeAndre Yedlin (2014; 2014), Walker Zimmerman (2017; 2022), Graham Zusi (2012; 2014)
AGAINST COSTA RICA
The USA is 19W-17L-6D in the all-time series against Costa Rica, with all 19 wins coming on home soil (19W-6L-4D).
Only Mexico (78 matches) has faced the USMNT on more occasions than Costa Rica (42).
The most recent meeting came under strange competitive circumstances, as the USA only had to avoid losing by six goals on March 30, 2022 in San José, Costa Rica, to jeopardize its place at the 2022 World Cup. The Americans were “successful”, falling 2-0 at the Estadio Nacional thanks to second-half strikes by Juan Pablo Vargas and Anthony Contreras.
The USA and Costa Rica haven’t gone this long without playing (more than 33 months), since the wait of nearly 44 months that preceded a June 2009 qualifier in San José.
Prior to that 2022 qualifying defeat in Costa Rica, the USA had reeled off four straight wins, shutting out Los Ticos in friendlies in February 2019 (2-0 in San Jose, Calif.), February 2020 (1-0 in Carson, Calif.) and June 2021 (4-0 in Sandy, Utah) before outlasting them, 2-1, in an Oct. 13, 2021 qualifier in Columbus, Ohio.
That Columbus qualifier was the most recent USMNT-Costa Rica game in the U.S. Costa Rica’s Keysher Fuller lifted the visitors into the lead in just the first minute, but the Americans replied with a memorable goal by Sergiño Dest and a second-half own goal forced by a shot from Tim Weah.
THE USMNT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA
Wednesday’s game will be the USMNT’s seventh at Inter&Co Stadium and 11th in Orlando.
Orlando City’s home ground, opened in 2017, has been a perfect host. The USA is W6-0L-0D at Inter&Co, scoring 22 goals and yielding just two. Those six wins include a 4-0 defeat of Panama in an October 2017 World Cup qualifier and then a 5-1 rout of Los Canaleros in a March 2022 World Cup qualifier.
In a January camp friendly against Trinidad & Tobago in 2021, the USA ran out 7-0 winners as goalkeeper Matt Turner saved a penalty kick and earned a shutout in his international debut while three U.S. attackers—Paul Arriola, Jesús Ferreira and Jonathan Lewis—scored multiple goals. That hadn’t happened since a 1993 friendly against Cayman Islands.
The USA has also played four times at Camping World Stadium, the site of the Citrus Bowl. The Americans are 1W-2L-1D at the larger venue, which hosted three games in the 1990s before the June 12, 2024 friendly against Brazil that ended in a 1-1 draw. The overall record in Orlando is 7W-2L-1D.
Further afield in Central Florida, the USA is 5W-3L-1D in Tampa and 1W-0L-0D in Cocoa Beach.
ROSTER UPDATE
Four men on Pochettino’s original list of 24 January campers departed prior to the Venezuela match.
On Jan. 15, forward Jesús Ferreira and defenders Jalen Neal and John Tolkin left for unrelated reasons. Ferreira returned to his new club, the Seattle Sounders, with an individual training program he’ll use to prepare for the MLS campaign. Neal was experiencing a minor issue and departed to join his new team, CF Montréal, for preseason training. Tolkin was given permission to leave camp as his transfer from the New York Red Bulls to Germany’s Holstein Kiel was being finalized.
The following day, goalkeeper Drake Callender returned to Inter Miami to receive treatment for a minor muscle injury.
ROSTER NOTES
Nineteen of the 20 players in camp are on the books at 14 different MLS clubs. The Columbus Crew leads with three selections, followed by Charlotte FC, CF Montréal and Real Salt Lake with two each.
Matko Miljevic is the only non-MLS player. The 23-year-old Miami native and former CF Montréal midfielder spent most of 2024 with Newell’s Old Boys (where Pochettino played in 1989-1994) in his parents’ native Argentina. He then signed with Buenos Aires club Huracán this month.
Center backs Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman are the leading goal scorers on a young U.S. squad with three apiece. Robinson’s most recent USMNT goal was among the most significant in team history—the 117th-minute trophy-clincher in the 2021 Gold Cup final against Mexico (he also struck in the 7-0 January camp win over Trinidad & Tobago in 2021). Defenders Tim Ream and Shaq Moore entered camp with a goal each, then Patrick Agyemang, Jack McGlynn and Matko Miljevic scored against Venezuela.
Center back Tim Ream is the leading cap winner on the roster with 66, followed by Walker Zimmerman (43) and Miles Robinson (31).
Ream, 37, wore the captain’s armband in each of Mauricio Pochettino’s first four games in charge. The USMNT is 10W-3L-1D all-time with Ream as captain. He was an unused substitute against Venezuela as Miles Robinson captained the side.
Midfielder Jack McGlynn, 21, was named Michelob Ultra Man of the Match for his one goal, one assist performance against Venezuela. It was his first USMNT start and second appearance. He played the full 90 minutes, took three shots and completed a team-leading 96.6% of his passes. McGlynn made his USMNT debut as a second-half substitute in a January 2024 friendly against Slovenia in San Antonio. He played in each of the USA’s four Olympic matches last summer in France and had four goals and seven assists in 30 MLS appearances for the Philadelphia Union last year.
After eight players made their USMNT debut against Venezuela, the only remaining uncapped squad member is New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese. The 26-year-old previously played for the U.S. U-23s.
Seven players are participating in their first USMNT camp: Patrick Agyemang, Max Arfsten, George Campbell, Emeka Eneli, Brian Gutiérrez, Matko Miljevic, and Indiana Vassilev.
Eight players who had already been capped before the start of this month’s camp made their first or second USMNT appearance during a previous January camp. The full list: Tim Ream (Jan. 28, 2011 vs. Chile; 2nd), Walker Zimmerman (Feb. 3, 2017 vs. Jamaica; 1st), Zack Steffen (Jan. 28, 2018 vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina; 1st), DeJuan Jones (Jan. 25, 2023 vs. Serbia; 1st) and Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Patrick Schulte and Brian White (all Jan. 20, 2024 vs. Slovenia; 1st).
Center back Walker Zimmerman, a 2022 World Cup veteran played the full 90 minutes and was named man of the match in his USMNT debut, a Feb. 3, 2017 winter camp friendly against Jamaica in Chattanooga, Tenn. The USA won, 1-0, on a goal by Jordan Morris.
Zimmerman, 31, came on as a late substitute against Venezuela and most recently started for the USMNT in the 2023 Concacaf Nations League Final win over Canada on June 18, 2023 in Las Vegas.
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen, 29, last played for the USMNT on March 31, 2022 in a 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss at Costa Rica (the Americans clinched their spot in Qatar that evening). He won the 2024 Leagues Cup Best Goalkeeper honor backstopping the third-place Colorado Rapids.
Forward Patrick Agyemang, 24, who scored the game-winner against Venezuela, was playing NCAA Division III soccer for Eastern Connecticut State five years ago. After two seasons as a Warrior, he transferred to Rhode Island, scored 19 goals in two years and was drafted by Charlotte FC. He then tallied 10 goals and five assists in 34 MLS appearances in 2024, his second pro campaign.
Five members of the team were part of the U.S. squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympic tournament in France: Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, defenders Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman, and midfielders Benjamin Cremaschi and Jack McGlynn.
Fifteen players are products of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, with nine developed by MLS clubs: Max Arfsten (California Odyssey), George Campbell (Atlanta United), Caden Clark (Minnesota Thunder, Barca Academy), Benjamin Cremaschi (Weston FC, Inter Miami), Emeka Eneli (Columbus Crew), Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union), Brian Gutiérrez (Chicago Fire), Diego Luna (San Jose Earthquakes), Jack McGlynn (BW Gottschee, Philadelphia Union), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas), Miles Robinson (FC Boston Bolts), Patrick Schulte (Saint Louis FC), Zack Steffen (FC DELCO, Philadelphia Union), Indiana Vassilev (IMG Academy), Brian White (Players Development Academy).
USA-COSTA RICA NOTES
Shaq Moore, Miles Robinson, Zack Steffen and Walker Zimmerman all featured in the USMNT’s most recent game against Costa Rica, the March 30, 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Estadio Nacional in San José. The visiting Americans lost, 2-0, that night but still clinched their spot in the 2022 World Cup. Zimmerman captained the squad and started along with Robinson and Steffen. Moore came on as a second-half sub for DeAndre Yedlin.
No player on the current U.S. roster has scored against Costa Rica.
Walker Zimmerman has faced Costa Rica five times. He started the Feb. 2, 2019 friendly in San Jose, Calif. (a 2-0 win), the Feb. 1, 2020 friendly in Carson, Calif. (a 1-0 win) and the March 30, 2022 World Cup qualifier in Costa Rica (a 2-0 loss). He entered as a substitute in the June 9, 2021 friendly (a 4-0 win) in Sandy, Utah and the Oct. 13, 2021 World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio (a 2-1 win).
Tim Ream has played three times against Costa Rica. He started the Oct. 13, 2015 friendly (a 1-0 loss) and the Sept. 1, 2017 World Cup qualifier (a 2-0 loss) at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ, as well as the June 9, 2021 friendly (a 4-0 win) in Sandy, Utah.
Zack Steffen has played Costa Rica three times. He was in goal for the Feb. 2, 2019 friendly in San Jose, Calif. (a 2-0 win), the Oct. 13, 2021 World Cup qualifier in Columbus, Ohio (a 2-1 win) and the March 30, 2022 World Cup qualifier in Costa Rica (a 2-0 loss).
Miles Robinson went 90 minutes in both recent World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica, the 2-1 win in Columbus, Ohio on Oct. 13, 2021, and the 2-0 loss in San José, Costa Rica on March 30, 2022.
Shaq Moore’s only appearance against Costa Rica was as a substitute in the March 30, 2022 World Cup qualifier in San José, Costa Rica (a 2-0 loss).
Several players on Costa Rica’s squad have U.S. professional experience. Midfielder Allan Cruz spent 2019-22 at FC Cincinnati. He returned to Herediano in 2023 and just helped it win a 30th Liga FPD title with six goals in six playoff games, including all three in last month’s two-leg final against Alajuelense. Defender Joseph Mora played for D.C. United (2018-21) and Charlotte FC (2022-23). Midfielder Alejandro Bran spent part of 2024 with Minnesota United. Forward Diego Campos, a former Clemson Tiger, played for the Chicago Fire and Indy Eleven in 2018-2020. Defender Yostin Salinas was with New York Red Bulls II in 2022. Forward Orlando Sinclair played with Loudoun United and New England Revolution II in 2019-20.
COSTA RICA OF LATE
Costa Rica has been a team in transition over the past couple years and went 7W-3L-5D in 2024, getting off to a good start in 2026 World Cup qualifying and performing decently at the Copa América before suffering a damaging Concacaf Nations League setback to close out the year.
Costa Rica began 2024 under Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro, but he resigned in early August to assume the same role with Paraguay. Los Ticos held Brazil to a 0-0 draw in their Copa América opener, before losing, 3-0, to Colombia and beating Paraguay, 2-1.
Another Argentine, Claudio Vivas, took over in August and managed Costa Rica to a 2W-0L-2D record in the Nations League group stage. But it stumbled in the first leg of the Nations League quarterfinals on Nov. 14, losing to Panama, 1-0, in San José. A 2-2 draw in the away leg four days later wasn’t sufficient, and Los Ticos now must face Belize in a two-game Gold Cup qualifier in March.
Vivas was fired and replaced by veteran Mexican manager Miguel Herrera.
The team that takes the field against the USA in Fort Lauderdale will be younger and less experienced than the one that contested the Copa América, Nations League and World Cup qualifiers, which is typical for winter friendlies falling outside a FIFA window. Herrera’s squad includes ten uncapped players and only two, goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado and midfielder Allan Cruz, who have more than 20.
Costa Rica is currently ranked 54th by FIFA. The last time it was lower was January 2013.
AT THE HELM
Miguel Herrera’s hiring made headlines around the region. The famously fiery Mexican manager was appointed Jan. 7 and will make his debut on Los Ticos’ bench in Orlando.
Herrera, 56, is the first Mexican head coach in Costa Rican national team history (it’s hired many foreign managers, including former USMNT coach Steve Sampson). The retired defender, who played 14 times for El Tri, arrives with a résumé featuring 11 head coaching gigs in 22 years. He’s managed seven Mexican clubs and had second stints at Atlante, Club América and Tijuana.
Herrera left América in 2013 to coach Mexico, with which he went 19W-7L-10D. At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, El Tridefeated Cameroon and Croatia, drew the hosts then went out to the Netherlands, 2-1, in the infamous “No Era Penal” round-of-16 match in Fortaleza.
El Tri went 0W-1L-2D at the 2015 Copa América but rebounded to win the Gold Cup by defeating Jamaica in the final in Philadelphia. That was Herrera’s last game with Mexico, as he was fired after an altercation with a TV journalist two days later at the Philadelphia airport.
Herrera went 0W-1L-1D against the USMNT, tying a friendly in Glendale, Ariz., 2-2, in April 2014 and then losing a friendly, 2-0, in San Antonio, Texas a year later.
He won Liga MX titles with América in 2013 and 2018. Herrera’s most recent job was at Tijuana, where he went 10W-24L-13D before being dismissed in April 2024.
DETAILED COSTA RICA ROSTER BY POSITION (Club; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Esteban Alvarado (Saprissa; 25/0), Anthony Walker (Herediano; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Ryan Bolaños (Saprissa; 0/0), Kevin Espinoza (Cartaginés; 0/0), Fernán Faerrón (Herediano; 3/0), Joseph Mora (Saprissa; 12/0), Kenay Myrie (Saprissa; 0/0), Joseth Peraza (San Carlos; 0/0), Haxzel Quirós (Herediano; 12/0), Yostin Salinas (Sporting San José; 4/0), Santiago van der Putten (Alajuelense; 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Sebastián Acuña (Saprissa; 5/0), Alejandro Bran (Alajuelense; 13/1), Allan Cruz (Herediano; 24/2), Rashir Parkins (Alajuelense; 1/0), Creichel Pérez (Alajuelense; 0/0), Aarón Suárez (Alajuelense; 7/1), Mauricio Villalobos (Santa Ana; 0/0)
FORWARDS (6): Diego Campos (Alajuelense; 2/1), Anthony Hernández (Puntarenas; 3/1), Josimar Méndez (San Carlos; 0/0), Andy Rojas (Herediano; 4/1), Orlando Sinclair (Saprissa; 1/0), Randy Vega (Herediano; 0/0)