Gaga Slonina, Caleb Wiley and the Olympic-age rising stars that could propel USMNT in 2026 World Cup

He's long been heralded as the goalkeeper of the future for the USMNT, and that future may be coming fast.

The 20-year-old goalkeeper is fresh off his first season in Europe, having spent his most recent campaign on loan with Eupen. It's all part of a development process laid out for him by Chelsea, one that should prepare him to be among the best in the game.

At some point, Slonina will get his USMNT chance. Depending on Matt Turner's club situation going forward, that could be very soon.

Another goalkeeper, but one who is also very, very good.

Schulte already has a history of winning with the Columbus Crew. The 23-year-old has an MLS Cup to his name and has proven himself as a star goalkepeer in the league. The USMNT has taken notice, too, with Schulte earning the start during January camp.

The goalkeeper has been linked with some European moves as well - and if one of those comes to fruition, it's easy to see him rocketing up the depth chart by 2026.

Chelsea's signing him for a reason, clearly.

The Atlanta United starlet is set to join the Blues this summer, but will immediately be loaned to French side Strasbourg. A season in Ligue 1 will benefit the 19-year-old, who heads into the Olympics this summer as the second-youngest player in the squad.

A versatile left-sided player, Wiley could either establish himself as Antonee Robinson's backup or a Swiss Army Knife of a supersub that could make an impact by 2026.

He's starring alongside Messi on the club level, which is a smart way to get exposure for a potential European move.

Cremaschi is a silky-smooth midfielder, one that, at just 19, already makes a massive impact in the attack. He's the youngest player on this Olympic squad, too, which goes to show how much of a difference-maker he is already.

He's learning some pretty good life lessons from Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami, which means he could take a massive leap forward by the World Cup.

He's reportedly nearing a move to Inter, although that comes with a one-season loan back to Venezia. Either way, Tessmann has earned his move up the food chain.

He was arguably the best midfielder in Serie B this past season, helping lead Venezia to promotion. Just 22, Tessmann continues to grow as a player, with this past season being his biggest leap forward yet.

He'll now look to establish himself in Serie A with Venezia before making what he hopes will be a seamless leap to one of Italy's giants.

Like Tessmann, Busio was a key part of Venezia's success this past season. He combined for 11 goals and assists, good for third-best on the team.

When it comes to the USMNT pool, Busio is unique. He's a very creative-minded midfielder, one that can play either as a No. 8 or as a deep-lying playmaker No. 6. His ability on the ball is fantastic, which is always helpful against smaller teams.

The USMNT midfield is tough to crack right now, but there could certainly be room for a player with Busio's talents if he can prove himself in Serie A.

A loan to Vitesse last season got him some much-needed playing time, and another temporary move to Utrecht this season should give him another positive path toward development.

A tricky attacking midfielder or winger, Aaronson has the potential to be a bit more decisive in the final third than his older brother, Brenden. The two are fairly different players, with Paxten looking a bit more capable of changing a game with the ball at his feet.

He'll get a chance to show that this summer at the Olympics, which will serve as an opportunity to showcase of what he's learned since leaving the Philadelphia Union.

He's certainly grown from his time in Germany and, if not for the Olympics this summer, there's a real chance that he could have been in the USMNT's Copa America squad.

Paredes is able to play just about anywhere, really, which is both a blesing and a curse. For a tournament squad, a player like Paredes is so helpful. That said, he may need to specialize in one position if he's going to reach his full potential.

Of those on this list, Paredes is arguably the closest to getting a USMNT chance.

The striker situation looks a bit more locked up after Folarin Balogun's Copa America run, but don't overlook McGuire.

The Orlando City star has a European move coming at some point, having already seen a swtich to Blackburn break down due to an inexplicable administrative error. He'll get his chance, though, and who knows what happens if he runs with it?

The striker position is one that is always defined by form and, if McGuire is playing well ahead of 2026, he'll have as good a chance as anyone.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about this U23 pool is how much talent is actually missing from this Olympic team. Of course, this group is missing USMNT regulars like Gio Reyna, Yunus Musah and Joe Scally, but there are other potential stars that are out for a variety of other reasons.

Diego Luna is one, having been controversially left out of the squad. So, too, is Rokas Pukstas, who wasn't released to join the Olympic team. Both could be key figures for the U.S. at some point, with Luna a fantastic creator and Pukstas a rising central midfielder.

Youngsters like Cade Cowell, Jalen Neal, Esmir Bajrakarevic, Aidan Morris and Bryan Reynolds could all feature prominently for the USMNT someday. So, too, could Luca Koleosho, should he ever make the switch from Italy to the U.S.

This U.S. Olympic team isn't as strong as it could be but, there are plenty of young players to watch both this summer and in the years to come as the U.S. builds to 2026.