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Carter-Vickers, Zelalem, Sargent headline U.S. roster for U-20 World Cup

Several big names have joined the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team ahead of the upcoming U-20 World Cup.

Cameron Carter-Vickers, Gedion Zelalem and Josh Sargent headline the crop of new faces joining the U.S. U-20s for the upcoming World Cup, which runs from May 20-June 11 in South Korea. In total, the roster features six new players with 15 others returning from the U.S. team that won the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

“We are very excited to once again provide a great competitive opportunity to our players and are looking forward to heading to Korea Republic,” head coach Tab Ramos said. “As always there were some extremely tough decisions to make. This is a talented age group.”

Carter-Vickers, Zelalem and Erik Palmer-Brown return from the U.S. team that participated in the 2015 U-20 World Cup. Sargent, meanwhile, is the youngest player on the roster, having recently led the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team to a second-place finish at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship.

The U.S. will initially depart for Japan on May 10 for a training camp before several members of the team join up on May 17.

Here’s a closer look at the full squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Jonathan Klinsmann (University of California; Newport Beach, Calif.), J.T. Marcinkowski (Georgetown; Alamo, Calif.), Brady Scott (De Anza Force; Petaluma, Calif.)

DEFENDERS: Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake; Salt Lake City, Utah), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur FC; Westcliff-on-Sea, England), Marlon Fossey (Fulham FC; Surbiton, England), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Aaron Herrera (University of New Mexico; Las Cruces, N.M.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC; Oviedo, Fla.)

MIDFIELDERS: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Luca De La Torre (Fulham FC; San Diego, Calif.), Derrick Jones (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.), Eryk Williamson (University of Maryland; Alexandria, Va.), Gedion Zelalem (Arsenal FC; Bethesda, Md.)

FORWARDS: Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers; Bethesda, Md.), Lagos Kunga (Atlanta United FC Academy; Tucker, Ga.) Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Emmanuel Sabbi (Unattached; Columbus, Ohio), Josh Sargent (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallen, Mo.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Park City, Utah)

Comments

  1. I will be in Korea for work and in Daejeon I hve my ticket for the 3rd group game on Sunday. I cannot make it to Seoul for the first 2 games during the week. It is always to possible to see a lot more by being at the game than one can from a TV feed, even though there are no replays.

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  2. I’m disappointed for John Nelson. Of the LBs I’ve seen in this age group, he has the best defensive instincts and never seems to get caught of position despite his frequent forays forward. He is one of the few who is not playing professionally, so that probably troubled Ramos, but I think it is a misplaced faith that professionals must be better..

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    • You do also have to consider that while Nelson may be the best in the U19 group he is also competing with the age group that were born in 1997 that were not eligible for the last U17 World Cup. Nelson was brought in for at least two U20 camps, so I don’t think it was based on just his club situation.

      Enjoy the match against Saudi Arabia can’t wait to hear your first hand accounts.

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  3. I do not like it, that horrible team, the qualifying is
    enough, for a world cup is the team to pass shame,
    Aaron Herrera, kunga, saucedo are not at the level of
    this competition.

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  4. Other than the Euro based players already mentioned, I would have really liked to have seen Marco Farfan from the Portland Timbers called in, but oh well. Striker is still an issue with this squad, as neither Ebobisse or Sabbi showed particularly well in qualifying. Expect Sargent to get every opportunity for playing time.

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  5. I really don’t understand why a club wouldn’t let these youngsters experience what a World Cup can do for a player at that age. It gives these kids the most competitive environment to compete in, coupled with the clubs getting a feel for what their player is capable of on that global stage. If injuries are their worry, well, injuries can happen walking across the street or in a meaningless training session, so for me it’s denying an opportunity for these guys to play at this age group, at the highest level, which is something i would have thought clubs wanted. It seems club vs country will always be a thing no matter the age group/level.

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    • Read my comment above, most of the players people are concerned with are playing for hardware in their leagues. Its also probably higher pressure and better competition than you will get facing Saudi Arabia or Senegal. Also explains why traditional European powers like Germany(1987 West 2nd East 3rd), England(1993), Italy (never) and Spain(2003) haven’t reached the semis in some time. Top European league clubs apparently don’t put much stock in the tournament.

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  6. Even with the kids who didn’t get released or weren’t chosen still a very good roster

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  7. The Bundesliga Junior A Championship playoffs began today Schalke with McKinnie, Wright, and Taitague as well as Wolfsburg and McKinzie Gaines are in the semifinals. The final will be May 22. It would certainly make sense if they were not released. If you don’t think the U19 championship is important remember Pulisic played in it last year despite making starts in the Bundesliga and BvB started Felix Passlack today against Wolfsburg despite 15 appearances including two Champions League starts this season.

    Fiorentina is also in a qualifying spot for the Pitalian Primavera Playoffs should they win against last place Brescia.

    Akale not sure which youth team he plays for in the Villareal system, but there U19s are in the Copa del Rey Juvenil semis.

    Olesunde was on the travel roster for Man U’s match with Arsenal last weekend, although he didn’t dress, so that may be the reason on him.

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  8. My hopes and interest may have got out the door with the exclusions of Wright, McKinnie, Taitague, Perez, Akale, Gaines, Young, and Olosunde. It sucks their clubs have not release them. It’s their right and they should protect their investments. Just a bummer from a selfish standpoint. What could have been………….What could have been………..

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    • “Notable absences from the squad include many high profile names playing across Europe. None of the Schalke trio of Haji Wright, Weston McKinnie, or Nick Taitague were called in. It’s quite possible that the Bundesliga club declined to release them for the tournament. Which, unfortunately is their right as it is for every club. Other omissions include Fiorentina’s Josh Perez, Villarreal’s Mukwelle Akale, Manchester United’s Matthew Olosunde, Wolfsburg’s McKinzie Gaines, and Werder Bremen’s Isiah Young.”

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      • I was thinking the same thing… I dont think this team is the strongest but it looks good enough on paper to make pass the group stage. I am heart broken that many of the European based players are not here. IE Weston, Haji, Akale, etc… I was looking forward to seeing the World cup champs of 2022 together for the first time…

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