Three key takeaways from the USMNT's summer roster

The Copa America is South America's continental championship; it's one of the most prestigious and most-watched tournaments in the world. The United States will host and compete in this summer's Copa to gain experience in advance of hosting the 2026 World Cup.

While there are plenty of familiar faces in this summer's USMNT squad, there are a few eyebrow-raising surprises. Here are three key takeaways from Berhalter's lineup:

MLS is back in a big way 

It's been a transformational season for MLS, with Lionel Messi leading Inter Miami to first place, Olivier Giroud joining LAFC and defending champion Columbus making it to the Concacaf Champions Cup final. 

The league's standard of competition has never been higher, so it's great to see MLS representatives featured in nearly every position on this roster. 

Our favorites? FC Cincinnati's Miles Robinson, who has had a blistering season in the league thus far, and LAFC's Timothy Tillman, whose antics on the flank have lifted LAFC's attack. Both could wind up being crucial depth players for the USMNT this summer.

Things are changing in defense 

At the 2022 World Cup, the USMNT's defense was anchored by Nashville's Walker Zimmerman and Fulham's Tim Ream. When Zimmerman got injured in early 2023, young players like Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards stepped up in his absence and proved themselves capable of partnering with Ream. 

So capable that Zimmerman was left out of this summer squad entirely — something that would've been unthinkable just one year ago. He'll have to work hard to prove to Berhalter that he's better than this new generation of American central defenders.

The USMNT has options up front, but it still hasn't decided which ones are best

When Folarin Balogun joined the USMNT last year, many believed that the team's long search for a starting striker had finally ended. But Balogun's performances in a USMNT shirt haven't been convincing, and depth strikers like Norwich City's Josh Sargent and PSV's Ricardo Pepi refuse to leave the conversation. 

Berhalter's bringing all of them into his summer squad and appears no closer to determining which one will be his go-to choice up top.

To complicate matters, FC Dallas's Jesus Ferreira is absent from this lineup due to injury but is likely to be in the mix once the Copa rolls around. Ferreira has looked promising in MLS in recent weeks and just became the youngest player in history to score 50 MLS goals. Berhalter's got his work cut out for him when it comes to determining his best forward.

The USMNT will face Colombia in Washington, D.C. on June 8 and Brazil in Orlando, Fla. on June 12. It will open its Copa America against Bolivia in Arlington, Texas, on June 23.