It's an exciting time for soccer fans, as both the U.S. women’s and men’s teams are headed to the Olympics in Paris. This is the first time the men have qualified for the Olympics in 16 years.

“Today is a special day for us. We announced our roster, and, yeah, we’re excited,” Marko Mitrović, head coach of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Soccer Team, said at a recent press conference in Midtown Manhattan. 

There are 18 players, many of them young talent like Queens native Jack McGlynn, who is from Middle Village. McGlynn recently spoke with NY1 via Zoom from France.

“I grew up playing soccer in Juniper Valley Park. I lived right across the street, with my older brother. We would always go there every day with our parents, play pick-up games there,” said McGlynn, a midfielder for the team. 

McGlynn says he has deep soccer roots. His father was a soccer coach, and his older brother is also a professional soccer player.

“It’s a really proud moment for me and my family. To be an Olympian is something not many people can say at all,” he said.

The 21-year-old says it’s that New York toughness he hopes to translate into a medal at the Olympics.

“Growing up playing the pick-up soccer in New York, it’s kind of different than playing anywhere else. You play with grown ups, older people, that kind of kick you, get you used to playing against older, bigger guys,” McGlynn said. “Which I think helped me growing up, to be able to play against a lot of guys who were a lot bigger, faster, and stronger than me, and that’s kind of my strength now.”

McGlynn currently plays for the Philadelphia Union, and is being called up for the Olympics as a Philadelphia player, but says he's "a New Yorker, through and through."

"I know I play in Philadelphia now, which is kind of a rival city," he said. "I’m a Knicks fan — they hate me because of that."

The last time the men qualified for the Olympics was in 2008, when McGlynn was just 5 years old.

“It’s kinda crazy, I’ve never really seen the men’s team play in the Olympics because I was so young. To be here now, is kinda surreal,” he said.

Defender Walker Zimmerman, 31, is gearing up to captain young players like McGlynn at the Olympics.

“His ability on the ball, to break lines with his passes, is elite. He’s just got such a good delivery with that left foot, both with shooting and passing and it’s gonna be a huge attribute for us,” Zimmerman said.

“I’m very confident in my abilities, and I know that I have an opportunity in front of me with the team here to really do big things on the world stage,” McGlynn said.

Big things like bringing home a medal and putting on a good show to inspire the next generation of soccer players.

The men's team will kick off the Olympics with their first game on July 24 against host France. That game is set to begin at 3 p.m. Eastern time. McGlynn says his parents will be there to cheer him on.