2024 Paris Olympics men’s soccer power rankings: Can USA win a medal?

Team USA will have a men’s soccer team at the Olympics for the first time since 2008, marking only the second occasion in the last six cycles.

This alone is cause for celebration, considering the Yanks stumbled through three consecutive CONCACAF qualifying tournaments under Caleb Porter, Andi Herzog, and Jason Kreis.

Now, Marko Mitrovic leads the team into the tournament after Mikey Varas guided them to qualification in 2020. It's a very talented team.

The Americans are expected to compete for a medal, but they won't be favorites due to the strong competition at the top of the tournament and the draw.

So, who has the potential to win it all? Let's rank them.

2024 Paris Olympics Men’s Soccer Power Rankings:

Group 5: Thanks for coming

Iraq — Won its group over Saudi Arabia, then slipped by Vietnam before losing to Japan and beating Indonesia in the third-place game to reach Paris.

Dominican Republic — Junior Firpo is a name that pops off the page but almost everything else feels a bit unknown. Did win one of two friendlies away to Paraguay in March.

New Zealand — Relatively unchallenged in qualifying and chock full of unknowns aside from veteran overage back Michael Boxall. Being grouped with Team USA and France is too big of an ask.

Group 4: The longshots

Israel — Did well to get out of a qualifying group with Germany and needed penalties to get out of a fortunate quarterfinal with Georgia.

Uzbekistan — Streaky but dangerous Eldor Shomurodov can take over a game, but the 29-year-old needs help at the nation’s first Olympics after impressing in qualifying but falling to Japan in the final.

Egypt — Ex-Arsenal star Mohamed Elneny gives Egypt a chance to control the game with a squad that, like Mali below, sees leadership and unity as a way out of a group with Spain, Dominican Republic, and Uzbekistan.

Mali — Boubacar Traore will be a big asset in the midfield and anyone can come out of this group with Japan, Paraguay, and Israel.

Group 3: The dark horses

Guinea — Tough group but can get hope by playing New Zealand first while Team USA play France. Naby Keita and Amadou Diawara give them a chance to win any midfield but — again — have to pass the French or Americans in group play.

Ukraine — A good-looking team but the path is fraught. Can Ukraine beat Iraq to start the tournament and get an Argentina-Morocco draw?

Paraguay — It’s a first Olympics since 2004 for Paraguay, who beat Brazil and Uruguay in the Pre-Olympic tournament. Ex-West Ham man Fabian Balbuena helps steady the back line and there’s a midfield here with Diego Gomez and Enso Gonzalez that on its day can play well enough to crash the podium.

Group 2: Medal hopefuls

Morocco — An up-and-down series of performances make this side a head scratcher but throw-in veteran goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi and all-world defender Achraf Hakimi and you’d bet on more evenness in the team. Can they get something from Argentina on matchday 1? If so, look out.

United States — A strong team with terrific experience in two center backs — Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson — is given power by its bevy of experienced young players. Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio helped Venezia to promotion, Kevin Paredes is a valued young player at Wolfsburg, and there are no shortage of players on the cusp of full national team status (or with experience already). Gaga Slonina at the back could really make his star in this tournament.

Japan — A true U-23 side, but probably should waltz out of its group and winning Group D means the runner-up of C with Uzbekistan, Spain, Dominican Republic, and Egypt.