Miles Robinson, Diego Luna and the USMNT hopefuls with points to prove in MLS with Copa America and Olympic roster spots on the line

All eyes will be on the FC Cincinnati defender. After deciding to stay in MLS, it's now up to Robinson to prove he can remain in the USMNT picture.

Fans wanted Robinson to make the leap to Europe and test himself at the highest levels. He didn't. Instead, he opted to stay in MLS and join a potential juggernaut in FC Cincinnati, who may just have the best defense in the league.

The decision certainly won't exclude Robinson from the USMNT, but it does erase any room for error. With his competitors at centerback playing all over Europe, Robinson will need to be a Defender of the Year-level player if he wants to contend for a Copa America starting spot.

He's back in MLS after several years in Europe. For Steffen, this move is all about getting back on the field.

An injury has kept him out for months and, even prior to that, it was clear a move away from Manchester City was necessary. Now with the Colorado Rapids, Steffen has plenty to prove as he looks to get back into the USMNT.

The move comes at an interesting time, too. With Matt Turner frozen out at Nottingham Forest, he and Steffen have now flip-flopped. Steffen will now look to emulate Turner by claiming the USMNT No. 1 spot through a strong run in MLS, overtaking a player that won't be playing enough to stay sharp in goal.

Moon Boy is already one of the cult heroes of MLS. Is this the year he becomes a global star, though?

He earned his first USMNT cap in January after a breakout season with RSL that saw him score seven goals in all competitions. Most likely, he's bound for the Olympics this year, having been a key part of the U.S. U-20s throughout the last two years.

Luna is an extremely fun player, one who can make things happen in the attacking third. He'll get his chances this season as he looks to take a big step forward after a very good 2023.

The striker race is open and, to be totally realistic, it'll be tough for Ferrerira to get to the top of it. There is a way to get there, though: goals... lots and lots of goals.

Ricardo Pepi, Folarin Balogun and Josh Sargent are definitely ahead of Ferreira at the moment, but you can't write him off just yet. Ferreira will once again be a key player for FC Dallas, and he's already proven that he can really make things happen in MLS.

Can he do enough to earn a Copa America spot? It'll be tough, but Ferreira has defied odds before.

The move to Blackburn Rovers fell apart, so here he is. McGuire is back in MLS. What will he make of that?

It'll be easy for McGuire to be disappointed or frustrated by his failed move, which collapsed due to a clerical error on the Blackburn side. A goal in the CONCACAF Champions Cup indicates that he's ready to put it behind him, though, and get back to what he does best.

What happens if he scores a whole bunch of goals this season? Could an even bigger club come calling? It'll be fascinating to watch as McGuire prepares for an Olympic run with the U.S. later in the year.

He could be the USMNT's centerback of the future. Neal has already gotten a taste of what that could be like. For now, though, he looks bound for the Olympics.

Neal is just 20, but already has six USMNT caps to his name. For context, he's only played 16 MLS regular season matches. Neal is still very, very new to this.

All of the signs are there, though. Neal has the potential to be a really, really good defender. His growth could be massive for the U.S., if not for 2024, then perhaps for 2026.

All eyes will be on Inter Miami. Most of them will be on Lionel Messi, of course. But, for fans of the USMNT, Cremaschi is the one to watch.

Those fans won't get to see him for some time as an injury will keep him out for a big chunk of time to start the season. When he does return, though, he'll walk into a pressure cooker situation in Miami due to the sky-high expectations.

For Cremaschi, the goal has to simply be to get better. He took major strides last season, particularly after Messi showed up. If he can continue on that trajectory, he'll be one hell of a player for the U.S. someday.

If you've watched the New York Red Bulls, you've already seen Tolkin's evolution. The moment he stepped up to take that last-gasp penalty on Decision Day last season, he proved that he's ready to be a leader.

Heading into this season, it's exciting to see how he can build on that. Europe will come calling at some point but, for now, he'll look to boss things in MLS.

A good Olympic run would boost his stock, but don't write off a potential USMNT call-up for the summer. There's a backup left-back spot up for grabs and, if Tolkin starts the season off hot, he could get there.

The youngster looked like the future in his first cap in January. At just 18 years old, he was the youngest player in the squad in January, but you could argue that the New England Revolution starlet was the best player on the pitch against Slovenia.

He's played just 16 MLS games, and started just five, but Bajraktarevic looks like he's next up. The goal will be for him to earn and keep a regular role under new coach Caleb Porter in New England ahead of the Olympics later this year.

He's technically not a USMNT hopeful. At least, not right now. At the moment, Buck is suiting up for England, but he's still eligible for the U.S. and there's no doubt that Berhalter and his staff will be keeping a close, close watch.

The 18-year-old Revs midfielder never really got a look from the U.S. on the youth level, but England have given him a shot with their U-19s. He's committed there for now.

A real tug-of-war could get going soon, though. Buck played 32 matches for the Revs last season. If he can take something of a step forward, that international discussion will only intensify.