The Rondo, Men's Olympics edition: USMNT end 16-year drought, players to watch, why France might be too good for anyone

For the first time since 2008, the USMNT will be competing in the Olympics. It's been a long road to get here, filled with disappointments with the senior side and failed benchmarks for the younger generation. Yes, it's hard for some to get too excited about Olympic men's soccer, but this genuinely does matter for a younger generation of US talent looking to bring the nation to the forefront of the global game.

As you'd expect, it's hard to stake your claim in the sport if you're not playing in the tournament in the first place. Regardless, the U.S. are here now, and they take a strong-looking team to Paris. Head coach Marko Mitrovic has managed the U23 cap well, and selected his three allocated older players carefully. They will face a good field, though. France, Argentina and Spain all look strong - while there will certainly be other surprise sides. And off the back of a disappointing Copa America, there's extra pressure on this young group to make things happen for their nation.

It's a lot to break down, with plenty of intrigue for those curious as to how the next generation of USMNT talent might look. Our GOAL US writers take a look in the Olympic Games edition of... the Rondo.