Can Team USA Surprise Morocco at the Olympics?

The Olympic spirit has never been more electric for the US men's soccer team. Olympic success opens unimaginable doors for these athletes. The truth is, the US has reached a high point by advancing to the quarterfinals, where they'll face the surprising Morocco at Parc des Princes. This stadium, usually dominated by PSG stars, will be the stage for this epic battle.

Remember, the last time the US men's team got this far in the Olympics was in Sydney 2000. Back then, under Clive Charles' leadership, the team finished fourth. Now, with a new generation, the hope for a medal shines brighter than ever. The journey so far has been tough, but nothing compares to what's ahead.

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The Olympic games are usually spread across the host country, and only now is Team USA really joining the main party in Paris. Tim Howard, a USMNT legend and member of the 2000 team, described the experience of reaching Sydney as almost magical, like entering the Emerald City in "The Wizard of Oz." This kind of impact is exactly what these young players feel now.

And speaking of impact, Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman hit the nail on the head: "We haven't achieved anything yet. This is just the first step of what we came here to do. We hope the fans support us and that we can give them something to be proud of."

Now, let's be realistic. Not many are betting on this young US team to go much further. After all, the field includes heavyweights like Argentina, Spain, and France, along with highly technical and talented competitors like Japan and Egypt. But with convincing wins in a row, this group dominated by MLS players is brimming with confidence.

And coach Marko Mitrović? He's faced a lot of criticism for his roster choices, especially for leaving out Diego Luna despite his excellent form in 2024. But since arriving on French soil, Mitrović has been spot on. He’s built a solid defense with John Tolkin, Miles Robinson, Zimmerman, and Nathan Harriel, and boosted the attack with an effective partnership between Paredes and Griffin Yow alongside Paxten Aaronson as a false 9.

Mitrović himself acknowledged after the win over Guinea: "We can cause a lot of problems with our dynamic moments with these three up front. Sometimes these ideas work, sometimes they don't. But today it worked, and it was good."

The spark of this trio against Guinea makes them an obvious choice for the starting XI against Morocco. And Paredes highlighted the team's unity: "In recent camps, we really found ourselves as a brotherhood, every day, getting used to each other. It shows in our soccer. We’re so happy to have the ball, to play together. In the last games, it’s been clear."

The truth is, the challenge against Morocco won't be easy. With a huge Moroccan community in France, the crowd will be mostly in favor of the Atlas Lions, who have PSG star Achraf Hakimi as an overage player and the tournament's top scorer, Soufiane Rahimi. The forward, who plays in the UAE, has scored four goals in three games, including two in the dramatic win over Argentina that secured Morocco first place in Group B. But then again, Morocco also lacks much experience at this stage.