Paredes (South Riding) and Yow (Clifton) have been part of the youth national squad. But FIFA, soccer’s governing body, does not want clubs to release players for the Olympics, so Paredes, from Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga, and Yow, from Belgian club Westerlo, needed permission to join the U.S. team.
A number of US coach Marko Mitrovic’s bids have been rejected by clubs, including midfielder Aidan Morris (Middlesborough) and forwards Haji Wright (Coventry City) and Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey).
Age-eligible players such as Gio Reyna and Younis Moussah have not been a genuine call-up due to club pre-season inquiries and involvement in the Copa America with the senior national team this summer.
“It’s actually been a very difficult process in the last eight or 10 months, talking to the clubs and trying to release all the players,” Mitrovic said. “Yes, there were challenges, but we ended up with a roster that we believe can represent us in the best possible way, and I feel really good about the team going to Paris.”
Team USA reports to training camp in Bordeaux, France this week. Group play begins on July 24 against France in Marseille, followed by New Zealand in Marseille on July 27 and Guinea in Saint-Etienne on July 30. The two advance to the quarterfinals.
Since the age limit went into effect in 1992, the only time the United States men have been eliminated from team play is in 2012. It was the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when they finished fourth.
All but three of the US call-ups have made senior national team appearances.
Paredes and Yow are among eight European players heading to the Olympics. Last season – his second full campaign in Germany after United made a club-record $7.35 million move for him in January 2022 – Paredes scored three goals in 28 league appearances (15 starts).
He was a candidate for the Copa America squad this summer, but US senior national team coach Greg Berhelter decided to save him for the Olympics.
Yeow, who moved to Belgium in July 2022, scored seven goals in 28 league appearances (25 starts) last season.
The remaining 10 American players are from MLS teams, including all three overage selections: center backs Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC) and Myles Robinson (FC Cincinnati) and midfielder George Mihajlovic (Colorado Rapids).
Zimmerman, 31, and Robinson, 27, have started six and eight times together in 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Zimmerman started at the World Cup in Qatar, but Robinson missed the tournament with an Achilles tendon injury. Mihajlovic, 25, has played 11 times for the senior team and is enjoying an impressive MLS season with 10 goals and 9 assists.
The list includes midfielder Benjamin Cremasci, who was the youngest selection at 19. In his second season in Inter Miami’s first team, Cremasci was mentored by Argentine star Lionel Messi.
Goalkeepers: Gabriel Slonina (Chelsea), Patrick Schulte (Columbus).
DefendersMaximilian Dietz (Greuther Furth), Nathan Hariel (Philadelphia Union), Myles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC).
Averages: Gianluca Busio (Venice), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids), Tanner Tessmann (Venice).
in the futurePaxton Aaronson (Utrecht), Taylor Booth (Utrecht), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), Griffin Yow (Westerlo).
Alternatives: GK John Pulskamp (Sporting Kansas City), D Jacob Davis (Sporting Kansas City), MF Josh Atencio (Seattle Sounders), F Johan Gomez (Eintracht Braunschweig).