Utah athlete helps Men’s USA Soccer achieve historic high in Paris Olympics

United States' Djordje Mihailovic, center, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the men's Group A soccer match between New Zealand and the United States at the Velodrome stadium, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024. Photo: AP Photo // Daniel Cole

PARIS — Four goals were scored today, the most ever for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team at the Games.

Contrary to their female counterparts, the men’s team’s goals are more to get out of the prelims than onto the podiums.

Even though Taylor Booth, born and raised in Eden, Utah, was a (very) late addition to Team USA’s Men’s Soccer roster for the Paris 2024 Olympics, he and his soccer-loving, soccer-living family are no doubt thinking, ‘better late than never,’ as the team advanced out of pool play and into the quarterfinals.

Group A’s early games saw group-favorite France beat the USA to a sold-out crowd in Marseille, and New Zealand beat Guinea. 

Yes, Booth is new to Olympic action but not so to International action. He played soccer in German and Italian youth leagues before signing his current place on the Men’s National Team of the Netherlands. All that after the now 23-year-old started with the Salt Lake Valley’s La Roca FC, formidable opponents in many a Park City Soccer Club tournament, and shortly thereafter joined the REAL Salt Lake Academy High School in 2016.

His position as a forward wasn’t needed enough for either pool play game to be a starter. 

Again, in Marseille, on the southern coast of France, 700 miles from where the Opening Ceremony impressed the global audience a mere 24 hours prior, neither Booth nor his teammates participated.

However, to a much smaller crowd for this match than the first USA game, USA v New Zealand was shown live midday in Utah, 7:00 p.m. Paris time.

The referee team encompassed Sweden, Spain, and Uruguay.

In minute 7, off a penalty kick, USA scored. This was the first men’s Olympic goal in 16 years, and it found the net when Marko Mitrovich kicked right, and the New Zealand keeper guessed left.

In minute 11, it was 2-nil off a set piece from USA’s Walker Zimmerman, the oldest US player on the squad at 31.

In minute 29, USA scored its third men’s Olympic goal for the first time in 24 years. Gianluca Busio bumped the ball in in a chaotic kick-around feet in front of the goal.

The halftime score was the best ever, translating to halftime hope being very real in the stands. Team USA wanted nothing more than to advance into the knockout rounds. 

Less than one minute after two substitutions were made, neither of which brought Booth off the bench, in minute 57, the United States scored their fourth goal—the first time in any Olympic tournament. It came from the inside of Branden Aaronson’s left foot, through the legs of a New Zealand opponent, and then rolled right in.

Booth, wearing white jersey number 10, came on the field in France in minute 68 of this, his second consecutive Olympic match in which to get playtime.

He created the opportunity to dribble it up the sideline and tap it ahead and center to one of his other two forward teammates. He then got a good look and a good touch towards the goal, but he couldn’t capitalize, and the ball was blocked by a desperate defender.

Then the big bliss bubble burst when New Zealand got a goal in minute 78, making it 4-1.

Justified jubilation traveled from France to Utah when the final whistle blew after four added minutes, and the score remained 4-1, the best Olympic score ever for the USA men’s Team.

For France it was a win against Guinea. Next up for Booth and his USA  teammates is the final pool play match for this Group as they take on Guinea on Tuesday.

Quarterfinal bracketing games will be played on Friday, August 2.

Booth isn’t the only Utah athlete to watch in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.