While the focus in 2026 is on the men’s World Cup when it comes to soccer, other sporting events are happening this year also. Winter tends to be gloomy and it’s easy to succumb to the joyless frigid grey weather that permeates the season. Luckily, there’s ice everywhere and mountains – what better way to have fun and find some excitement than seeing who is the best in the world at strapping some sort of metal blade onto your foot and see how fast someone can get somewhere while avoiding death? That’s
right! It’s time for the Olympics.
Of course this begs the question, how would America’s best soccer players fare in sports that everyone forgets exists except for two weeks every four years?
Sergino Dest – He’s fast and at times takes risks that can be something of a liability. At right back, that can have it’s downside but in skeleton Dest would be able to lean into his all gas no brakes talents head first down a mountain.
Lindsey Heaps – She always seems to know the right place to be and where to put an expertly placed pass. She is composed under pressure and her leadership brings the team together. She’d be the perfect Skip on a curling team and could be relied on to put the hammer in the center of the house.
Brian White – A peripheral player who would have to do a lot of work to make the World Cup, but when it comes to the Winter Olympics he plays in Vancouver and looks like he can ski pretty well.
Emily Sonnett – There’s something called Ski Mountaineering that is going to debut in the Winter Olympics which involves climbing up and then skiing down a mountain. It requires grit, endurance, and a versatile skill set to succeed at. Sonnett is something of a quiet workhorse for the USWNT and would thrive at the event.
Chris Richards – His awareness of where he is on the pitch along with the instinct for when to press and play fast or calm things down with the ball. He’s the best USMNT player in the air and would be perfect at figure skating.
Alyssa Thompson – An emerging young talent known for jetting past defenders, Thompson was a track star in high school and at one point had the second fastest time ever in the State of California. If there’s one thing that track stars can excel at in the Winter Olympics, it’s bobsled.
Weston McKennie – For all the attention that skeleton gets for being a sure way to an icy grave, it at least keeps competitors on the ground. Wes is a fearless player who seems like he would give anything a shot and be able to compete at it. Given that, it wouldn’t be out of place to see him soaring through the air as a ski jumper.
With a roster full of talented athletes the US Soccer teams would be well suited for Olympic glory. Who else might find gold in the hills during the quadrennial winter event?
