USMNT drops Folarin Balogun (ankle), 2 others from Gold Cup roster

Field Level Media|published: Sun 1st June, 18:07 2025

Soccer: International Friendly Soccer-New Zealand at USA

Sep 10, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; USA forward Folarin Balogun (20) battles for the ball against New Zealand defender Finn Surman (14) in the first half at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The U.S. men's national team will be without injured forward Folarin Balogun, midfielder Sean Zawadzki and defender DeJuan Jones for the CONCACAF Gold Cup this month.

Balogun, who has scored five goals in 17 USMNT appearances, continues to deal with an ailing ankle that he injured last month playing for his club team, Monaco.

Zawadzki, of the Columbus Crew, has a knee injury and Jones, who plays for the San Jose Earthquakes, was only listed with a lower-body injury.

In their places, the USMNT added Eintracht Frankfurt forward Paxten Aaronson, Philadelphia Union defender Nathan Harriel and defender Walker Zimmerman of Nashville SC. Zimmerman helped the U.S. win the 2021 Gold Cup but was recently in concussion protocol.

The U.S. already was without star players Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Giovanni Reyna and Antonee Robinson for the upcoming competition.

The U.S. will host the Gold Cup (along with some matches played in Vancouver) and they will open Group D play on June 15 against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, Calif.

--Field Level Media