Editors Note: “What if...?” is a new series that will run periodically on USLChampionship.com, exploring fun hypotheticals tied to current events in the soccer world.

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The Men’s Soccer Tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics kicks off on Wednesday as the United States competes at the tournament for the first time since 2008, kicking off the group stage against hosts France at 3 p.m. ET.

There’s a major USL influence within the squad. Within the 18-player roster there’s a cumulative 181 appearances and 14,020 minutes, 12 goals and 14 assists of experience earned in the USL Championship, while Tanner Tessmann is a former USL League One title winner and the likes of Duncan McGuire (Lane United FC) and Miles Robinson (Boston Bolts) came through USL League Two before their professional breakthroughs.

That got us thinking – what if we built a Men’s Olympic Squad comprised of current and former USL Championship players?

First, ground rules. We’re not able to select players who compete for another country. That rules out Phoenix Rising FC’s Rocco Ríos Novo, who was part of Argentina’s U-23s squad that qualified for the tournament, and former Charleston Battery winger Fidel Barajas, currently aligned with Mexico.

And while loaness currently active in the league are available, we’re not able to pull from prior loan agreements. That eliminates current Chivas de Guadalajara forward Cade Cowell – who remains the youngest American to score in the Championship in league history – and a plethora of others who meet the age criteria.

Since this is a work of imagination, we’re thankfully also not constrained by clubs – especially in Europe – telling us players aren’t available, as was the case for USMNT U-23s manager Marko Mitrović.

With that said, here’s the squad we’ve put together. Let us know how you think it would do in our poll and tell us what your lineup would be on the league’s social channels.

Goalkeepers

Hunter Sulte (Indy Eleven): The 6-foot-7 Alaskan has been one of the top goalkeepers in the Championship this season for the Boys in Blue – on loan from Portland Timbers FC – posting a 74.5% save percentage, a 1.00 goals-against average and a -4.65 Goals Prevented mark in league play. He’s also helped Indy reach the Semifinals of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Duran Ferree (Orange County SC): The youngest goalkeeper to record a shutout in the Championship when he competed for San Diego Loyal SC last season, Ferree is one of the top young goalkeepers in America. The 17-year-old is currently with the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team for the Concacaf Men’s U-20 Championship and is age-eligible for the next U-20s cycle.

Defenders

Jonathan Gómez (Louisville City FC / Real Sociedad): The 20-year-old left back was voted the Championship’s Young Player of the Year in 2021 for LouCity before his transfer to La Liga’s Real Sociedad the following January and has made two senior national team appearances for the United States. After spending last season on loan in La Liga 2 with C.D. Mirandes, Gómez is currently on Sociedad’s preseason tour to Japan as his progression within the club continues.

Kobi Henry (Orange County SC / Stade de Reims): The 20-year-old center back is set for his third season in France after starring in Orange County’s run to the USL Championship title in 2021 and earning his first call-up to the senior USMNT squad. Transferred for a then-USL Championship record fee to Stade de Reims, Henry spent the past season on loan with Villefranche Beaujolais as he looks to move up the ranks at the Ligue 1 club.

Joshua Wynder (Louisville City FC / Benfica): The runner up for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award in 2022, the younger Wynder brother earned his first call-up to the senior USMNT last year before his summer transfer to Benfica for a USL Championship-record fee. The 19-year-old made his debut for Benfica B a season ago and is now preparing for his second season in Portugal.

Shawn Smart (Las Vegas Lights FC): The 20-year-old right back was one of two high-profile talents from Clemson University to turn pro in the Championship this season and he’s already become a key part of the Lights’ turnaround under new owner José Bautista. Smart has recorded one goal and has 15 chances created and 36 completed dribbles while also leading all defenders in the Championship with 135 duels won.

Ramiz Hamouda (Birmingham Legion FC): The 16-year-old joined Legion this season from Sporting Kansas City’s Academy, and is considered one of the U.S. Youth National Team’s top prospects. He’s already made eight appearances and three starts in Legion’s veteran squad while posting a passing accuracy rate of 86.8 percent, a duel success rate of 78.9 percent and aeriel duel success rate of 71.4 percent.

Sean Totsch* (Louisville City FC): The first of our overage selections, there’s been no better model of consistency in the Championship over the years than Sean Totsch. A four-time Championship All-League selection and three-time league title winner, the 32-year-old continues to deliver year-in and year-out. With 24 goals in his career he can be a threat at set pieces and from the penalty spot when needed.

Midfielders

Kobe Hernandez-Foster (Birmingham Legion FC): Our starting No. 6, the 22-year-old has come into his own with Legion this season. Appearing in every game of the campaign, including 19 starts, Hernandez-Foster has recorded two assists and 38 chances created and made 15 interceptions and 105 recoveries. His quality on set pieces and ability to shoot from range will be a bonus to his defensive skills.

Elijah Wynder (Louisville City FC): The elder Wynder brother was the first player to sign a pro contract out of LouCity’s Academy and this year is having a breakout season as a box-to-box midfielder. The 21-year-old has recorded a career-best four goals in 19 appearances, starting all-but-one game for the Players’ Shield leaders, and has won 27 tackles at an 81.8 percent success rate as well as winning possession 11 times in the attacking third.

Nate Worth (Tampa Bay Rowdies): The 17-year-old central midfielder was acquired by the Rowdies earlier this season from FC Tulsa after impressing late last season in Oklahoma. While he’s still working his way into regular minutes in the Rowdies’ veteran squad the quality Worth has is evident when he’s on the field, and his training stints in Europe this past offseason make that look like his eventual destination.

Enzo Martinez* (Birmingham Legion FC): Our second overage pick brings everything to the table. You want goals? Enzo Martinez can do that with 72 in the Championship’s regular season. You want creativity? The 33-year-old can do that as well with 48 career assists. You want team chemistry? There’s no better person to be around off the field to bring this squad together. Martinez is a USL Championship icon and gets a spot on the plane.

Taylor Davila* (Louisville City FC): Our last overage pick just falls outside the age cutoff for the team but is well worth his selection. The 23-year-old earned Championship All-League First Team honors for a Rio Grande Valley FC side that missed the playoffs last season and now he’s one of the most influential players for LouCity with three goals, three assists, 41 chances created and an 85.4 percent passing accuracy rate this season.

Forwards

Diego Luna (El Paso Locomotive FC / Real Salt Lake): If the actual Olympic team didn’t want Luna – its most hotly debated omission – then we’ll take him and start him. The runner-up to Jonathan Gomez for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award as a 17-year-old in 2021 with Locomotive, Luna has continued his rise since his transfer for a domestic-record fee in 2022. Luna has five goals and 12 assists this season in MLS, and as a consolation to missing out on Paris is in the MLS All-Star Team for the first time.

Korede Osundina (Orange County SC / Feyenoord): The 20-year-old forward didn’t get quite the fanfare as some of the Championship’s exports, but in half-a-season in the Second Division in the Netherlands he recorded four goals and four assists in just over 1,000 minutes on loan with FC Dordrecht. That helped Dordrecht into the promotion playoffs and showed the potential the U.S. youth international brings to the table.

José Gallegos (San Antonio FC / Sonderjyske): The third player nominated for the 2021 Championship Young Player of the Year alongside Goméz and Luna, the 22-year-old winger shone for Sonderjyske last season as the side earned promotion back to the Danish Superliga. Gallegos had five goals and two assists, but it’s his close control that is most exciting with 2.6 competed dribbles per 90 minutes – more than double the rate of his closest teammate.

Ray Serrano (Louisville City FC): The current frontrunner for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award, Serrano is in the middle of his best season in the league for the Players’ Shield contender. The 22-year-old has six goals, three assists, 38 shots, 18 shots on target and 31 chances created while also winning possession 13 times in the attacking third.

MD Myers (Charleston Battery): The other half of the Battery’s M&M Boys with Nick Markanich, Myers is inside the age cutoff and gives us a No. 9 to lead the attack. The 23-year-old has nine goals and two assists in 19 appearances in the Championship this season and notched a hat trick in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against South Georgia Tormenta FC.

Head Coach

Michael Nsien (FC Tulsa / United States U-20s): Nsien led FC Tulsa to the first consecutive playoff appearances in its history in the 2020 and 2021 seasons and has now established himself in U.S. Soccer’s youth ranks. He’s currently leading the United States U-20 Men’s National Team as it vies for a fourth consecutive Concacaf Men’s U-20 Championship in Mexico.