Zimmerman joins final pre-Olympics USMNT camp as overage player

The veteran defender appears likely to be heading to the Olympics as an overage player

U.S. men’s Olympic head coach Marko Mitrović has called in a 25-player roster for the team’s upcoming training camp and friendly against Japan.

For the first time this cycle, the roster includes one overage player: Nashville SC defender Walker Zimmerman, who now looks like a safe bet to head to the Olympics as one of the team’s overage options.

Zimmerman has earned 42 caps with the senior USMNT, starting three of four games at the 2022 World Cup. He is one of 19 players on this roster with at least one senior cap.

This camp represents the last chance Mitrović will have to evaluate players ahead of naming his 18-player roster in July for the Olympics. The men’s tournament is restricted to under-23 players, with the exception of three spots for overage players.

The U.S. will hold a training camp in Kansas before a match against Japan on June 11 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.

For the first time since 2008, the U.S. men qualified for the Olympics this summer. Mitrović’s team will open the tournament against host France on July 24, and will then face New Zealand and Guinea in the group stage.

USMNT U-23 June roster

Goalkeepers (2): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea)

Defenders (7): Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy), Bryan Reynolds (KVC Westerlo), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Tomkinson (Norwich City), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders (7): Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia)

Forwards (9): Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt), Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution), Taylor Booth (Utrecht), Cade Cowell (Chivas), Damion Downs (Köln), Johan Gomez (Eintracht Braunschweig), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg), Griffin Yow (Westerlo)

[lawrence-related id=72609,65815,55300]