USMNT Stars Reveal Which Winter Olympic Sports They'd Dominate

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics are currently taking place in Italy, and while the U.S. men's soccer squad isn't participating, that doesn't stop them from following the journeys of the 232 American competitors at the Winter Olympics. 

For certain football players, such as Stanford NCAA defender Sammy Smith, managing both the field and the slopes could be feasible. At elite levels, professional athletes are rarely permitted to engage in high-risk activities, which applies to virtually all Winter Olympic disciplines. 

"Given the opportunity, I'd choose snowboarding," Columbus Crew defender Max Arfsten mentioned in a recent clip. "Not that I excel at it, but I believe mastering it would be amazing."

His aspirations aligned with several teammates, including Colorado Rapids' Paxten Aaronson and Vancouver Whitecaps' Sebastian Berhalter, with Berhalter providing details about choosing the halfpipe, stating it "would be incredibly exciting to compete in and executing some maneuvers would be awesome."

Cade Cowell, preparing for his debut season with Red Bull New York, agreed with Berhalter: "Performing all those maneuvers, I believe I'd definitely pursue that," he commented. "It appears quite exciting."

While some selected sports traditionally popular in America, others chose to be more particular. FC Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson prefers speed skating "since I'm the quickest skater in MLS," while New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner appreciates curling's distinctiveness and Houston Dynamo midfielder Jack McGlynn craves the excitement of bobsledding. 

Turner wasn't alone in selecting a team discipline. Hockey, the Winter Olympic sport most similar to soccer, received endorsement from Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan and New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese. 

"Miracle was my top film and a major inspiration for wanting to represent my nation," Freese explained, referencing the Disney movie about the Miracle on Ice, when the U.S. claimed men's hockey gold by defeating the Soviet Union in the semifinals. "I watched it weekly during my childhood. Growing up in Minnesota where hockey was huge, we lived near a lake where we'd skate constantly."

Roldan and Turner could also count on their coach's support, as Mauricio Pochettino donned a vintage Team USA hockey jersey in another recent clip, sending good wishes to the Americans before their tournament-opening victory against Latvia. 

McGlynn, Turner, Select Curling and Bobsled Squads

McGlynn, Turner, Select Curling and Bobsled Squads 

As the pair who selected smaller team disciplines, McGlynn and Turner considered some USMNT colleagues who could assist their success in their preferred sports. 

For McGlynn's bobsled ambition, he required athletes with speed and strength for the initial push, plus focused and detail-conscious competitors to navigate the winding ice course. Considering this, he suggested Tim Ream, Tim Weah and Roldan, emphasizing Roldan's leadership qualities as a potential pilot. 

While they rocket down the thundering frozen track, Turner assembled his quartet for the textured ice sheets, selecting goalkeepers Freese, Patrick Schulte and Chris Brady as candidates to guide a medal quest, similar to how actual American curlers Kory Dropkin and Corey Thiesse performed at the Milan Cortina Olympics. 

Might we witness a soccer-based curling squad as well? It's definitely feasible—NFL stars like George Kittle are pursuing it.