U.S. Soccer Roundtable: Could Johny Cardoso start for the USMNT at Gold Cup?

Doug McIntyre

Soccer Journalist

Laken Litman

College Football & Soccer Analyst

The United States mens’ and women’s national teams will soon be back in action, with Emma Hayes’ side set to play two friendlies at the end of May, and Mauricio Pochettino’s men prepped to start their Gold Cup run in June.

In this week’s roundtable, FOX Sports soccer reporters Doug McIntyre and Laken Litman look ahead to the upcoming international windows and look back at the last week in American soccer.

1. Johnny Cardoso scored his fourth goal of the La Liga season last week. What are the chances that he starts in central midfield for the U.S. at this summer’s Gold Cup?

It’s not impossible. While Cardoso has never really replicated the form he’s shown with Real Betis for the national team, his standout performances in one of the world’s best leagues continue. Also, few USMNT jobs should be safe after last month’s losses to Panama and Canada. In the latter defeat, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino pulled starting midfield trio Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic — arguably his three most important players — off the field with 30 minutes remaining and the Americans down a goal. As for Musah, Poch has deployed him mostly as a winger or fullback, and the 22-year-old hasn’t gotten off AC Milan’s bench since manager Sérgio Conceição pulled him 22 minutes into a 2-2 tie with Fiorentina on April 5. If Pulisic moves back to his usual spot on the the wing with the U.S., it wouldn’t shock me to see Cardoso, who has also been unlucky with injuries since Pochettino took over, finally get an extended look alongside Adams and McKennie.

2. Brenden Aaronson didn’t make the USMNT for the Nations League finals, but he just helped Leeds earn promotion back to the English Premier League. Will he make the World Cup squad next summer?

I’d put money on it. It probably helped Aaronson and a few other regulars who just missed out not to be involved last month, given how poor the U.S. was over the two games. The 24-year-old runs and flights — two qualities that were sorely lacking in Los Angeles. The Philadelphia Union product is also a better player than he was when he last played in the Prem in 2022-23. He gained Bundesliga and Champions League experience last year while on loan to Germany’ Union Berlin, and played 44 games (and scored nine goals) in England’s second tier this term. He’s also added some muscle to his frame, which should make him more physically prepared for the Premier League this time around.

3. Pochettino recently watched Watford take on Burnley in the Championship, presumably to scout left back Caleb Wiley. Will Wiley make the Gold Cup cut?

Keep in mind that Burnley, which was also promoted this weekend, also has an American in forward Luca Koleosho, although Koleosho would need to petition FIFA for a one-time switch of association from Italy in order to rep the U.S. I don’t believe that has happened to date.

As for Wiley, the Nations League games showed how thin the USMNT is at left back behind Antonee “Jedi” Robinson. With Kristoffer Lund apparently not in Pochettino’s plans, right-footed Joe Scally filled in for Jedi against the Panamanians, while Columbus’s Max Arfsten manned the left corner versus Canada. The 20-year-old Wiley, who is on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season, is at least as deserving of a look there along with fellow 2024 Olympian John Tolkin of Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel.

4. The Women’s Champions League final is set with Barcelona taking on Arsenal at Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal on May 24. Do the underdog Gunners have a chance to upset two-time defending champion Barça?

After a slow start to the season, Arsenal has been on a winning rampage. The Gunners have won 13 of their last 15 Women’s Super League games and finished second in the table behind Chelsea. Over the weekend, they shocked eight-time UWCL winners Lyon, beating the French side 5-3 on aggregate. Lyon wasn’t particularly dangerous in its attack, which was a surprise on its own given the talent the squad has, while Arsenal ended up winning the second leg match 4-1 with goals from Mariona Caldentay, Alessia Russo and Caitlin Foord.

Will that trio be enough vs. big bad Barca? Barcelona, which has won three of the last four Champions League titles, has a lethal attack that just gashed Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate. Arsenal’s defense, which stars USWNT outside back Emily Fox, has a major challenge ahead as it will try to stop (or at least slow down) a squad that features stars like Aitana Bonmati, Salma Paralluelo, Alexia Putellas and Claudia Pina. Chelsea’s defense, which includes USWNT center back Naomi Girma, had no response for those players.

Barcelona looks unstoppable right now – they’re so strong on the ball and can finish in the final third. Arsenal will have to try and match that quality in order to pull off a major upset.

5. Trinity Rodman is out indefinitely as she works through pesky back issues, Mallory Swanson has not yet played for the Chicago Stars this season due to personal reasons, and Sophia Wilson is expecting her first child this year. Do Emma Hayes and the USWNT have anything to worry about given the “Triple Espresso” is unable to train with the team until further notice?

No. From a competitive standpoint, the USWNT will not play in a major tournament until the 2027 World Cup, leaving the star power trio plenty of time to take the time they need and return to the squad when they are ready. Of course Hayes would love to have a full strength roster for every camp and every friendly, but she’s also focused on growing and developing the player pool so that when playmakers like the “Triple Espresso” are unavailable, there are plenty of choices to come in and fill the void.

Some players have already proven they can take on that role, including Alyssa Thompson, Catarina Macario and Ally Sentnor, all of whom were quite impressive during the most recent USWNT camps. Additionally, forward Mia Fishel recently returned to the pitch after a long layoff recovering from a torn ACL and scored a goal for Chelsea on April 23. She was invited to the USWNT’s April camp as a training player, and will likely be called into the full squad later this month. Hayes is filling out the depth of her squad quite nicely despite not having some of her biggest stars.

6. The USWNT’s next camp begins at the end of this month and includes matches against China and Jamaica. Are there any new players who could receive a call up?

The new faces here are actually familiar ones. Fishel should return to the fold now that she’s building minutes with Chelsea and scored her first goal in more than a year. She was a training player during the April window, and given her relationship with Hayes (who briefly coached her at Chelsea before joining the USWNT), it would seem like a natural inclusion to this roster.

Croix Bethune also recently returned to the pitch following an injury. The Washington Spirit midfielder was named 2024 NWSL Rookie of the Year and won a gold medal at last summer’s Paris Olympics. Then she sustained a freak knee injury while throwing out the first pitch at a Washington Nationals game. She had a setback that derailed her return, but last weekend Bethune played 10 minutes in the Spirit’s 3-0 loss to Gotham. It would make sense if Hayes called her up as a training player later this month.

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.