The U.S. males’s nationwide group continues to be over one 12 months away from collaborating within the 2024 Summer season Olympics in Paris, however midfielder Gianluca Busio already has one eye on the historic competitors.
Busio, 19, is at the moment with the USMNT throughout the Concacaf Gold Cup, as he fights to earn his first minutes of the summer season event. The previous Sporting Kansas Metropolis homegrown midfielder didn't function within the USMNT’s 1-1 opening evening draw with Jamaica on Saturday, however is an choice to start out towards Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday in Group A play.
A former U.S. Below-15 and Below-17 nationwide group standout, Busio is eligible for the USMNT’s Olympic roster subsequent summer season and is aware of how vital a powerful Gold Cup run could possibly be for his future standing with this system.
“It’s been a goal of mine since I watched the Olympics, really,” Busio mentioned Monday in a press convention with reporters. “I think it’s a dream of a lot of players and the fact that I’m age eligible to play in it is even more motivation for me to try to make that team.
“I think we have a lot of good young players who are eligible, so I know it’s going be tough and I know I have to prove myself to make that roster but I set that goal out for myself as soon as I heard about that,” Busio added. “I have something that I’m playing towards and it gives me extra motivation and I’m focused on the Gold Cup now, but I know that a good Gold Cup can help me push myself one step closer to the Olympic roster. That’s what I’m fighting for.”
Busio is recent off his second season with Italian Serie B facet Venezia, who reached the promotion playoffs, however had been eradicated by eventual winners Cagliari. He made 28 league appearances for Venezia this previous season, however didn't register a aim or help and solely earned 4 begins from January onwards.
After initially impressing throughout Venezia’s Serie A season in 2021-22, Busio struggled to copy that manufacturing within the second-tier. Nonetheless, Busio nonetheless stays a high American prospect abroad and already has excessive aspirations with Venezia forward of the brand new league season this August.
“For me, things are going well,” Busio mentioned. “I wasn’t playing as much at the end there, but that’s how it is. It’s not always going to be easy to get minutes, so, for me, I’ve enjoyed it. I love living there and the team is getting better and you can tell we’re all growing as a group and I’ve enjoyed every moment, even the tough parts like the start of this season.
“I’m looking forward to going back and trying to get back to the Serie A eventually,” Busio added. “That’s our goal and that’s what we’ve been fighting for ever since we got relegated. It has its ups and downs. This season, the last season, really showed however you start, you have to finish better and that’s what we did in the end. We can build off that and hopefully move forward.”
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