Here are some interesting notes and information about the U.S. men’s national team as they prepare to play Uzbekistan and Oman in a pair of international friendlies in September, as compiled by U.S. Soccer.

STER NOTES

  • The roster will average 23 years, 302 days as of the first day of training on Sept. 4.
  • The squad averages 19 caps overall and 12 in official competition.
  • The roster is made up of 12 players that were part of the USMNT at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
  • Sixteen players were part of the squad that claimed the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League crown this summer.
  • Fourteen players are age 23 and younger: Chris Richards and Tim Weah (23); Brenden Aaronson, Folarin Balogun, and Sergiño Dest (22); Johnny Cardoso, Kristoffer Lund and Malik Tillman (21); Yunus Musah, Kevin Paredes, Ricardo Pepi and Joe Scally (20); Cade Cowell (19); Ben Cremaschi (18).
  • Johnny Cardoso, Kristoffer Lund, Malik Tillman, Yunus Musah, Kevin Paredes, Ricardo Pepi, Joe Scally, Cade Cowell and Ben Cremaschi are all age-eligible for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, an Under-23 competition.
  • Christian Pulisic is the leading cap-winner on the roster with 60 appearances, followed by Tim Ream (51), Weston McKennie (44), Antonee Robinson (36), Brenden Aaronson and Matt Turner (32 each) and Tim Weah (31).
  • Players represent clubs in eight different countries: England (6), Italy (5), USA (4), Germany and Netherlands (3 each), Belgium, Brazil and Spain (1 each).
  • Two players earn their first USMNT call-ups: midfielder Ben Cremaschi of Inter Miami and defender Kristoffer Lund of Italian Serie B side Palermo.
  • Lund, who is Danish-American and previously represented Denmark in official competition at the youth international level, has applied to FIFA for a one-time change of association in order to be eligible to play for the United States.
  • Nine players have joined new clubs during the summer: Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo), Yunus Musah (AC Milan), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven), Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest) and Tim Weah (Juventus).
  • Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender and Wolfsburg defender Kevin Paredes join Cremaschi and Lund as the four uncapped players on the roster. Callender was part of the April camp ahead of the Allstate Continental Clásico against Mexico and was also on the CNL roster in June. Paredes last came to USMNT camp in December 2021 ahead of the friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Christian Pulisic has gotten off to a hot start for AC Milan, tallying a goal in each of the Rossoneri’s first two matches of the Serie A season – a 2-0 win at Bologna on Aug. 21 and 4-1 win against Torino on Aug. 26.
  • A starter in all four games at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, veteran defender Tim Ream has recovered from the broken arm suffered in the final game of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign and will have the chance to play in front of his hometown crowd in St. Louis against Uzbekistan on Sept. 9.
  • Goalkeeper Matt Turner has started 13 of the team’s last 14 matches during FIFA international windows, a streak that dates back to the friendly against Japan on Sept. 23, 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Turner has sat out only the 6-0 win against St. Kitts and Nevis during the Gold Cup group stage this summer and has collected a 6-2-6 record along with seven clean sheets.
  • One of three players hailing from PSV Eindhoven, midfielder Malik Tillman makes his first USMNT camp appearance since last September’s friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
  • Both Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic scored goals in the USA’s last visit to Allianz Field, a 3-0 win against Honduras in FIFA World Cup Qualifying on Feb. 2, 2022.
  • Eleven players are products of Major League Soccer academies: Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi and Chris Richards (FC Dallas); Brenden Aaronson and Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union); Drake Callender and Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes); Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami); Kevin Paredes (D.C. United); Joe Scally (New York City FC); Tim Weah (New York Red Bulls).
  • In addition to the 11 above, four more players played in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy: Luca de la Torre (San Diego Surf), Ethan Horvath (Real Colorado), Christian Pulisic (PA Classics), Miles Robinson (FC Boston Bolts).

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.