New York Red Bulls striker Juan Agudelo and West Ham midfielder Sebastian Lletget are among the players called up for the U.S. Under-20 national team's upcoming participation in the Torneo de las Americas later this month.
The U.S. team will face Colombia on Nov. 26th and Mexico on Nov. 28th at Kennessaw State University in Georgia.
The squad also includes highly-regarded defender Gale Agbossoumonde and Los Angeles Galaxy forward Tristan Bowen.
Here is the full squad:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town; Athens, Ga.), Eduardo Fernandez (Real Salt Lake AZ; Casa Grande, Ariz.)
DEFENDERS (7): Gale Agbossoumonde (G.D. Estoril Praia; Syracuse, N.Y.), Bryan De La Fuente (Chivas USA; Bell, Calif.), Greg Garza (G.D. Estoril Praia, Grapevine, Texas), Korey Veeder (Crystal Palace Baltimore; St. Petersburg, Fla.), Parker Walsh (Karlsrucher SC; Roanoke, Va.), TBD, TBD
MIDFIELDERS (7): Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United; San Francisco, Calif.), Alex Molano (NK Dinamo Zagreb; Grapevine, Texas), Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia Union; Sacramento, Calif.), Moises Orozco (Tigres; Oxnard, Calif.), Conor Shanosky (D.C. United, Sterling, Va.), Alex Zahavi (Maccabi Haifa F.C.; Lisbon, Portugal), Cesar Zamora (Chivas USA; Sylmar, Calif.)
FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls; Barnegat, N.Y.), Tristan Bowen (Los Angeles Galaxy; Van Nuys, Calif.), Fuad Ibrahim (Toronto FC; Richfield, Minn.), Omar Salgado (Unattached; El Paso, Texas)
What do you think of the squad? Who are you excited to see be a part of the group?
Share your thoughts below.
Yes. I understand that. I know that
lol, wow. Worst post ever
GEORGIA JACK!! Look, as an ATLien, the fact Jack Mac isn’t on this list is a crying shame. give the little dun some run on his hometurf (although Kennesaw is FRIGHTENING to us city folks. haha. Yes, this is the city where they used to have a law that you had to own a gun. damn) Hopefully an explanation for his exclusion comes soon.
I don’t follow youth nats, but it’s cool reading just the names of the forwards. Tip-toeing around politics, most agree the “melting pot” element of American society is/was what helped create such a great country, my guess is it’ll be what helps create a great men’s national team eventually. Kind of reminds me of how France really upped it’s game when the north African presence began to be felt (last WC excepted of course!).
Initially there were rumours that he would be deported ?? but he went to HS in TX and has been part of FC Dallas for a while now. Hopefully he has at least a green card.
But unfortunately Mexico has Chicharitto.
What? New York getting credit for something that’s actually in New Jersey? That can’t be allowed to happen. What’s next, will Jersey still the Jets, Giants, and Red Bulls too?
That’s odd. I thought TBD was busy since they were the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. (I got that off Fifa.com so you know it has to be true).
That may all be true… but he’s still creepy. He also wears a bowtie in the booth when calling games. Ugh.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/2449710990_1b8ccd2f43_o.jpg
The rule that applies is that once you participate in a fully sanctioned tournament with a youth team, you will only ever be eligible for whatever teams you were eligible for when you first played with that youth team.
Scenario:
Juan Candy is a Mexican-Canadian, his dad is Canadian, him mother is Mexican. He moved to the US when he was 17 to play for Chivas USA’s academy. At age 19 he was called in to represent Canada at the concacaf qualifying for the youth world cup. If he plays for Canada then he can only ever be eligible for Canada and Mexico, the two nations he was eligible for when he first played an official youth tournament. He will then NEVER be eligible to represent the US even if he achieves citizenship, marries an American, and tatoos the American flag across his forehead.
whats the story with Luna’s citizenship?
Okay, hit us up with the logistics of where the field is, what hotels are nearby and what else there is to do in that part of Georgia.
Would have liked to have seen Erik Benjaminsen, William Packwood, George Pantelic in the midfield mix as well. Understand that many of the college players like Dillon Powers, Zac MacMath, (Akron’s Starting defense) Kofi Sarkodie, Zarek Valentin, & Perry Kitchen will most likely be in the NCAA Turnament but would have been nice to see them as well.
Obviously much has been said about Lletget. I can’t wait to see young Sebastian. I’ve never seen him on the field.
Also read a lot about Alex Zahavi. Considering he was a standout on the Portuguese U-17 team, he should be pretty good.
I hope both decide to represent the red, white and blue at the senior level.
Will these games be televised????
How is Bowen the top U20 striker? Had a decent run of games during the WC in the absence of LD and Buddle but I just don’t see it.
I see Lletget, Gale A., Agudelo and a few others having an impact on the senior team. I’d like to see Bowen develop too. The more goal scorers the better.
I am glad to see Zahavi who of everyone in this list has the highest ceiling and already playing top notch football…sad to see the McKierney got snubbed though…although the forward position is stack!!! Stack!!! In order of preference though I would have 1. Bowen 2. McKierney 3. Agudelo 4. Ruelas 5. Salgado 6 Wood 7 Ibrahim…although Ibrahim and Agudelo can play in the wings or Dempsey-like…and notice I forgot to add the Irish Texan of Conor Doyle…
Yeah no way Ibrahim is better than Mac
There’s nothing about being 21. FIFA changed that
Salgado too… He gave up a promising Chivas and “El Tri” senior career for the USA (hopefully it sticks).
yes, if three guys move on. That is the truth.
But I think we are at the point now where we hope instead of 2 or 3 solid MNT players we can get 1 out of each class that is a real difference maker, the kind of player WC champs are made out of.
Another that I’m would love to see is Ruben Luna. Unfortunately he may never get citizebnship.
Renken’s career is back on track and he’s training at Hoffenheim. He’s still only 16 so he may be one for the next cycle.
Victor Garza… dude is absolutely unreal
US SOCCER HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE. 😀
Based on this past season it is hard to believe you could conclude Ibrahim is better than McInerney.
But it has to be in an official competition so he can play in these friendlies and he means nothing towards his eligibility I believe.
Terrific competition for many of the attacking positions. Disappointed not to see V. Garza, but it is nice to see Lletget called in.
This isn’t meant as a slight of Jack Mc. Just an aside regarding Ruelas who looked lethal in the Milk.
I’m guessing that Ruelas would have gotten an invite, but he’s trying to earn a spot with Celtic, so Rongen didn’t call him.
Dont give up on McInerney just yet. That kid is sincerely a natural.
Yeah mcinerney just scored more goals in mls than any of the other people with a bad team. Plus the 2 in friendlies against the real chives from Mexico. Add in that he has been the best striker at the last u 17 team. Plus he scored in his only tournament with the u 20s. He is well below par.