Paxten Aaronson makes it three players with Union ties on the U.S. men’s Olympic soccer team

NEW YORK — The U.S. men’s soccer team’s Olympic squad became official on Monday, and it includes three players with ties to the Union.

Medford native Paxten Aaronson, who played for the club until moving to Europe at the end of 2022, joins current Union midfielder Jack McGlynn and defender Nathan Harriel on the 18-player roster that will be the first American men’s team to play at an Olympics in 16 years.

The trio gives the Union the most contributions of any club, foreign or domestic, to the 18 players when combining players’ current homes and the academies that developed them. That’s a nice feather in the cap in a year when so much has gone badly, even though it’s obviously not a trophy.

Like McGlynn, Aaronson had been projected to make the Olympic team ever since helping the U.S. qualify for the Games two years ago with the under-20 squad. His versatility as an attacker was as much of an asset as his creativity: The 20-year-old has already played as a midfielder, winger, and even striker for his clubs and country.

» READ MORE: The Union’s Jack McGlynn makes the U.S. Olympic soccer team, opening the door to stardom

“’Pax’ can play multiple positions for us, he’s been great [at] all those camps with us, and we know that he’s very committed to play,” U.S. coach Marko Mitrović, a Serbia native, said. “With a 16-field-player roster, it’s important that you have players that can play multiple positions, and Pax fills almost all five spots in a front line.”

The Olympics men’s soccer tournament is an under-23 age group event, but teams are allowed three over-age players to bring a little extra attention. There’s also the complication that because it’s a youth tournament, club teams aren’t required to release players to take part. Many in other countries don’t, and this year some in the U.S. also did not.

That complicated Mitrović's work. But he was able to secure three MLS veterans with national team experience in familiar centerbacks Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC) and Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), and attacking midifelder Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids).

It’s no surprise that Mitrović picked two over-age centerbacks, because the U.S. youth pool is shallow at the position. They’ll also bring valuable leadership to the young squad. Zimmerman was on the 2022 World Cup team and Robinson was on this summer’s Copa América squad. (Though he did not play, so he’s got gas in the tank.)

» READ MORE: Nathan Harriel’s years of hard work pay off with a place on the U.S. Olympic men’s soccer team

Various reports in recent days said Mitrović tried to get Monterrey striker Brandon Vázquez or Seattle Sounders winger Jordan Morris for the third spot. Vazquez in particular would have been a big deal, because he came up just short of the Copa squad. But the players’ clubs refused.

“It was actually a really difficult process the last eight, 10 months, first talking to the clubs and trying to get all the players released,” Mitrović said. “Yes, there were challenges, but we’ve ended up with a roster that we really believe can represent us in the best possible way. I feel very, very good about the team that is going to Paris.”

There will be much attention on McGlynn’s fellow midfielders. Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann just helped Italy’s Venezia return to Serie A, and Tessmann is reportedly close to a deal to join powerhouse Inter Milan in 2025.

The fifth midfielder, Benjamin Cremaschi, is an Argentine-American teammate of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, and he has been recruited by both countries. A 19-year-old Miami native, Cremaschi has yet to commit to either country but has signaled he’s leaning toward the United States. Joining the Olympic team is another good sign, but it’s not an official decision since it’s a youth tournament.

» READ MORE: Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, and other USMNT players know they blew a big opportunity at the Copa América

Mitrović called Cremaschi — who at age 19 will still be eligible for the next Olympics — “a high-potential player” with “a high competitive level” who will also bring versatility to the midfield.

“Even though ‘Benja’ is the youngest player on the team, he’s ready to compete and represent the U.S. at the Olympics,” Mitrović said.

Orlando City striker Duncan McGuire will lead the forward line, with Aaronson among the wingers who can flank him. Aaronson, Taylor Booth, Griffin Yow, and Kevin Paredes will rotate among the winger roles, though it’s not clear who would take the center spot if McGuire is off the field.

» READ MORE: U.S. Soccer has a big decision to make about Gregg Berhalter’s future as USMNT manager

Coincidentally, Aaronson and Booth will spend the coming European season as teammates at Dutch club FC Utrecht. They played in their first preseason scrimmage together on Saturday.

Aaronson was loaned to Utrecht by Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt, the club that bought him from the Union for $4 million (plus a lot of incentives) two years ago.

As with the women’s team, the men’s squad also has four alternates who will travel to France but cannot play unless there’s an injury. Mitrović picked one player for each key position: goalkeeper John Pulskamp (Sporting Kansas City), defender Jacob Davis (Kansas City), midfielder Josh Atencio (Seattle Sounders), and forward Johan Gómez (Germany’s Eintracht Braunschweig).

» READ MORE: Don’t expect to see the United States in Philly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Counting the alternates, Kansas City and Dallas tie the Union with three contributions to the overall squad. Busio grew up in Sporting’s academy, Tessmann and Gomez grew up in Dallas’, and Zimmerman spent his first five pro seasons with Dallas after playing college soccer.

Among players whom Mitrović chose to not take, two stand out: Real Salt Lake attacking midfielder Diego Luna and Colorado Rapids defensive midfielder Cole Bassett.

Luna’s omission is the biggest one, because he’s a playmaker who can score and create for others. He reinforced that with a goal and three assists in RSL’s 5-2 rout of Atlanta United on Saturday, which stirred up a social media frenzy. Bassett’s omission is easier to digest with Tessmann and Busio on the squad.

Apple TV’s MLS telecasts over the weekend reported that Mitrović offered Luna and Bassett alternate roles, but the players declined.

» READ MORE: Sam Coffey makes the U.S. women’s soccer Olympic team, but Alex Morgan doesn’t

Goalkeepers (2): Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Gabriel “Gaga” Slonina (Chelsea, England)

Defenders (6): Maximilian Dietz (Greuther Fürth, Germany), Nathan Harriel (Union), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)

Midfielders (5): Gianluca Busio (Venezia, Italy) Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami), Jack McGlynn (Union), Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids), Tanner Tessmann (Venezia, Italy)

Forwards (5): Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Taylor Booth (FC Utrecht, Netherlands), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg, Germany), Griffin Yow (KVC Westerlo, Belgium)

Alternates (4): GK John Pulskamp (Sporting Kansas City), D Jacob Davis (Sporting Kansas City), M Josh Atencio (Seattle Sounders), F Johan Gómez (Eintracht Braunschweig, Germany)

Times listed are Philadelphia time. All of NBC’s video streaming of the Olympics is available free with pay-TV provider authentication at NBCOlympics.com, or via subscription on Peacock.

July 24: vs. France at Marseille, Olympics group stage, 3 p.m. (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

July 27: vs. New Zealand at Marseille, Olympics group stage, 1 p.m. (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

July 30: vs. Guinea at Saint-Étienne, Olympics group stage, 1 p.m. (USA Network, Telemundo 62)

Aug. 2: Quarterfinal at Bordeaux (if group winner), 3 p.m. (Universo, English TBD), or Paris (if runner-up), 9 a.m. (Telemundo, English TBD)

Aug. 5: Semifinal at Lyon (if group winner), 3 p.m. (USA Network, Telemundo 62), or Marseille (if group runner-up), noon (E!, Telemundo 62)

Aug. 8: Bronze medal game at Nantes, 11 a.m. (English TBD, Telemundo 62)

Aug. 9: Gold medal game at Paris, noon (USA Network, Telemundo)