HANOVER, N.J. — Matt Miazga entered 2015 as a reserve player for the New York Red Bulls and a talented but still raw prospect on a U.S. youth national team that was expected to compete at the Under-20 World Cup.

He has evolved into much more than that, with Friday’s call-up to the senior U.S. Men’s National Team the latest step in his meteoric rise.

U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann released his roster on Friday for the Americans’ initial 2018 World Cup qualifiers later this month, and Miazga was arguably the biggest surprise. The Red Bulls’ starting centerback was one of two new faces called up by Klinsmann for the first time – Portland Timbers winger Darlington Nagbe was the other – but at just 20 years old, he was the youngest player on the entire roster.

It may have been a surprise to those on the outside to see Miazga summoned, but he had known about Klinsmann’s decision for nearly three weeks. Miazga had received emails then and spoken to Klinsmann. He was aware that a chance to graduate from the U.S. U-23s to the senior side was coming.

“I’m happy to be recognized to move up to the first team,” said Miazga on Friday following Red Bulls training. “It’s an opportunity to play with them. It’s an exciting moment, so I’m looking forward to it.”

The 6-foot-3 Miazga maintained that he was primarily focused on Sunday’s Eastern Conference semifinals second leg between the Red Bulls and D.C. United. Only after that match at Red Bull Arena would he be ready to completely shift gears and think about potentially earning his first U.S. cap in a World Cup qualifier against St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

Nonetheless, much of the talk following Friday’s practice was about the call-up. Many of his fellow Red Bulls called it a deserved reward. Not just because he had established himself as an entrenched starter at the club level this year, but because he had successfully competed with the U.S. U-20s at the World Cup this summer before impressing again with the U-23s during CONCACAF Olympic qualifying in October.

He has gone from talented prospect to established pro, and his future looks as bright as ever.

“Part of some of these FIFA dates is to start to integrate young players and see how they fit into the new cycle,” said Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch, who previously was a U.S. assistant. “It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that in three years, Matt will be a 23-year old, that there’s a lot of 23-year olds that play in the World Cup and that are established pros and often those are some of the best players in the world and in the World Cup.

“The quicker they can get Matt into the program and start the process, the better. It will be a good opportunity for him.”

It will also be a chance for the blossoming youngster to be cap-tied. A dual-national who was born in Clifton, New Jersey, to Polish parents, Miazga has previously represented Poland at the U-18 level. That came back in 2012, however, and Miazga has been all about the U.S. since.

Miazga suited up for the U.S. U-18s the following year, and then he moved up to the U-20s in 2014 and 2015. It might have long been a foregone conclusion that Miazga would represent the Americans at the top international level and not Poland, but no real decision had to be made until this call-up.

“I always felt a little bit more American. I grew up here, I was born here,” said Miazga. “I always envisioned and dreamt of playing for the full team for the U.S. and now that I have an opportunity to do that, I’m looking forward to it and want to take the chance.”

For Miazga, the upcoming camp with the U.S. will likely be more about getting familiar with Klinsmann’s way of doing things and playing style than anything else. There is a chance he could play, of course, and if he does, he will count on all of his experiences from a year that has taught him quite a lot about what it means to compete in high-level matches for your country.

“Those kind of games are just do-or-die,” said Miazga when asked about the lessons he learned in the U-20 World Cup and U-23 Olympic qualifying games. “Everyone’s fighting for their lives for their country. I expect that with the full team. Every time call-ups happen, everyone is going all out to fight for positions and represent their country the best.

“I’m looking forward to it, I’m excited for the challenge, and I’m ready to give it my all.”