With the United States men's national team's Nations League squad, you had a general idea of what a starting XI would look like. There were several players in that group that are locked in starters. Christian Pulisic is the left winger, Antonee Robinson is the left-back, and so on and so forth.
This Gold Cup squad, though, is a bit more interesting. Interim coach B.J. Callaghan has a wild mix of veterans, hopefuls and rising stars in his squad as the USMNT looks to defend the crown they won in 2021.
Their first game may very well be their toughest, as the U.S. opens their title defense with a match against Jamaica. The Reggae Boyz feature plenty of Premier League talent, headlined by West Ham striker Michail Antonio, making them a legitimate candidate to win the whole thing.
So how does Callaghan set the USMNT up for what will be a fairly grueling tournament run? Does he throw young stars right into the fire, knowing that the second two games are very winnable, or does he lean on veterans to ensure the U.S. starts the tournament on the right foot?
GOAL breaks down a potential USMNT lineup that Callaghan could go with against the Reggae Boyz:
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