KANSAS CITY, Kan.—The United States U-23 team has been preparing for Olympic qualifying throughout 2015, and on Thursday night at 7 p.m. Central time, the players will finally get the chance to take they first steps toward its goal—steps that, they hope, will eventually lead to Rio. 

Qualifying for the tournament out of CONCACAF is difficult, however, as it often hinges on a single semifinal game, and this 20-man American side is a diverse group. It features some players who have been with U.S. youth national teams for most of the past decade, and others players who are completely new to the U.S. setup. Nine play in MLS; nine play in Europe. Some are older (Wil Trapp, three months from 23); some are anything but (Cameron Carter-Vickers, 17). All must come together quickly in order to avoid the pitfalls of 2012.

For Marc Pelosi, 21, the tournament is about redemption. Long regarded as one of the top American prospects, the German-born but San Francisco-raised midfielder joined Liverpool after a solid U-17 World Cup in 2011. He was rising quickly through Liverpool’s system — so much so that Liverpool would not release him for U-20 World Cup qualifying and named to its preliminary Europa League roster instead.

Shortly after, he suffered a broken tibia and fibula after a vicious tackle against West Bromwich Albion.

Pelosi would return after 14 months away from the game, but Liverpool had moved on. Pelosi returned home and signed with the San Jose Earthquakes.

“It was difficult,” said Pelosi, now a starter on a possible playoff side. “It was almost two years that it set me back. I was at a good time at Liverpool, but you can't really do anything about injuries. They happen. This took quite a bit longer than expected, but I believe everything happens for a reason. This brought me back home to San Jose and I am loving it here. I think I'm back to my old self and I'm playing well, staying fit, and avoiding small injuries.”

Even throughout his rehabbing of a brutal injury, U.S. Soccer kept Pelosi involved with this team since the beginning of preparations for Olympic qualifying in 2014. During that time, he’s helped head coach Andi Herzog in particular with his versatility, a trait he credits to his time at Liverpool.

Under Herzog, Pelosi plays as a midfielder either on the left side or centrally; in this past summer’s Toulon Tournament, he played both attacking and defensive midfield. He also said he can play left back—which might be an option with this U-23 team due to its limited fullback options.

“We have confidence we will qualify, and that is how every U.S. team goes into any qualifying event,” Pelosi said. “But it’s going to be difficult, and everyone knows they are difficult teams.”

While Pelosi has had a long, albeit uneven, history with U.S. national teams, it’s a different story for midfielder Matt Polster, who earlier this month was invited to take part in the U.S. U-23’s final camp prior to Olympic qualifying. It was his first international involvement at any age level. 

Born in Milwaukee and raised in Las Vegas, Polster went on to play college soccer at Southern Illinois Edwardsville, a program that had had no recent success in the sport. But Polster managed to lead the Cougars to the NCAA tournament, and despite his winding road, he ultimately was selected seventh overall in this year’s MLS SuperDraft.

“I always wanted to play for the national team, and it was tough from the route I took,” Polster said. “I came from Las Vegas, and not many players from Las Vegas play for the national team. Then I went to a small school. It was tough for me to get the looks needed.”

Polster, 22, has cemented himself in the starting lineup for Chicago, and on the U-23 team he adds a strong defensive presence in the midfield. Like Pelosi, he is also versatile and can fill in at central defense and at right back.

The competitiveness at his first camp wasn’t a problem, Polster said, but there was an adjustment of another kind 

“I didn’t know them as people,” Polster said of his teammates. “The first few sessions were tough for me because it was my first call-up. After a few sessions and games I earned respect and showed I could play at the level. Once you gain that respect, it's easier to get on with the players.”

Jerome Kiesewetter, 22, first became involved with U.S. Soccer in 2009, when he was discovered by then-U.S. U-20 coach Thomas Rongen. Born in Germany, Kiesewetter came up through Hertha Berlin’s system but has since moved to Stuttgart, making his Bundesliga debut with the club toward the end of last season.

To date, his only activity with the United States in major youth tournaments came in 2013, when he made a few brief appearances for the U-20 team in World Cup qualifying. Now he is looking to take an increased role on the U-23 team.

“[Herzog is] a coach that wants us to keep the ball and control the game,” said Kiesewetter, who has gradually switched from forward to right wing for Stuttgart but plays both for the U-23s. “He’s a good coach for us to really play football. We’re not a team that tries to destroy the game. We going to play and do some good combinations. 

Despite being born and raised in Germany, where Olympic soccer is considered minor, Kiesewetter said he deeply appreciates the importance of the tournament. In turn, his American family does, too: Based in Dallas, they are trying to make it to Kansas City for part of qualifying.

“I don’t want to say it means the world because, to me, my family is the world,” Kiesewetter said of qualification. “But it is very important to me. Only a few players get the chance to play in the Olympics.”

There is also significance beyond just Olympics participation itself: Historically, the tournament has often served as a bright spotlight for players — and a powerful springboard to the full national team.

“For every athlete, the Olympics is something special,” Herzog said. “Especially for the U.S., the Olympic Games are huge. It’s a big stage for our young players to show the rest of the world that the U.S. has very talented young players.”