The US U-23 team has a shot at making history when they take on France in their opening game of Olympic Men’s Soccer. The United States were supposed to have a summer that cemented soccer in the country as the FIFA World Cup is coming to America in 2026. The Copa America was supposed to be a sort of coming out party for the USMNT.
The senior side failed miserably, losing their last two group matches and only defeating the worst team of the competition and quite possibly one of the worst Bolivian sides ever assembled. The end result was the firing of Gregg Berhalter and a lot of questions regarding the current generation of players.
Now the spotlight shines on the Olympic side, which boasts some talented players in Patrick Schulte, Gabriel Slonina, Caleb Wiley (recently sold to Chelsea), Gianluca Busio, Taylor Booth, and Tanner Tessmann.
Tanner Tessmann, player to watch for the US in the Olympics
The 22-year-old midfielder who plays in central midfield or as a pivote in Serie B, Tessmann excels as a versatile midfielder, adept at both defensive cover and initiating attacks. His strong tackling and ability to regain possession are complemented by exceptional awareness, crucial for launching counterattacks. While Tessmann enjoys advancing with the ball, he also adeptly fulfills defensive roles, even transitioning effectively to a deep-lying playmaker when required. Tessmann shares his passing precision but lacks similar shooting ability.
Nonetheless, Tessmann is coming off a banner season in Italy’s Serie B with 7 goals in 42 games. In total, Tessmann has 10 goals in 99 games for Venezia in his three seasons in Italy (two in Serie B and one in Serie A).
With offers from Inter Milan, Fiorentina, and a possible move to Germany also being rumored, Tessmann could be one of the next big things in the USMNT midfield.
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With a new coach coming in and Tessmann continuing to play at a high level, the Olympics could be his major calling card to bigger things at the club level and for the country as well.
