The U.S. men’s national team won’t be the only squad in action this month.
U.S. Soccer revealed a 20-player roster that will take part in a U.S. Under-21 men’s national team training camp from Nov. 10-18 in Europe. The USMNT U-21’s will also face Denmark in Vejle on Nov. 14 and Serbia in Backa Topola on Nov. 18, with former USMNT U-20 assistant coach Michael Morris, serving as head coach of this U-21 squad.
Damion Downs, Gabriel Slonina, and Diego Kochen have all been called into previous USMNT senior camps, with Downs leading the way with six caps. Thirteen players have represented the United States at a FIFA Youth World Cup, including nine players from last month’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.
Reed Baker-Whiting, Cole Campbell, Brooklyn Raines and Niko Tsakiris are among those who featured in Chile in October. Brandan Craig, Rokas Pukstas and Darren Yapi, along with Slonina and Tsakiris were also on the USMNT U-20 roster at the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
The USMNT U-21’s will train and play matches through summer 2026 in an effort to make up on national team programming that players in this current age group missed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This camp will also serve as great preparation for the USMNT U-21’s ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Olympic rosters will mainly feature players under the age of 23-years-old.
“The Under-21 age group is common across the international game, and this programming allows us to continue building a foundation for all of our National Team programs,” U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said.
“We have players in this group who have already been with the senior national team, and more who are maybe just a small step away from establishing themselves at that level. We continue our work to connect the senior team with our youth teams and holding Under-21 camps helps us provide them with high-level international opportunities to further their development.”
Here is a breakdown of the full USMNT U-21 roster:
GOALKEEPERS: Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona/ESP Miramar, Fla.), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; Addison, Ill.).
DEFENDERS: Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders; Seattle, Wash.), Noah Cobb (Colorado Rapids; Chattanooga, Tenn.), Brandan Craig (CF Montreal/CAN; Philadelphia, Pa.), Ethan Kohler (SC Verl/GER; Campbell, Calif.), Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas), Thomas Williams (Orlando City; Titusville, Fla.).
MIDFIELDERS: Santiago Castañeda (Paderborn/GER; Tampa, Fla.), Jackson Hopkins (D.C. United; Fredericksburg, Va.), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split/CRO; Stillwater, Okla.), Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo; Chicago, Ill.), Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.), Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati; Boca Raton, Fla.).
FORWARDS: Cole Campbell (Borussia Dortmund/GER; Peachtree City, Ga.), Damion Downs (Southampton/ENG; Werneck, Germany), Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake; Eagle Mountain, Utah), Mykhi Joyner (St. Louis City; Bloomington, IL), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution; Unionville, Conn.), Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids; Denver, Colo.).