CHICAGO (Oct. 4, 2024) – The U.S. Under-20 Men’s Youth National Team will visit FIFA U-20 World Cup host Chile for friendly matches on Oct. 12 and 15 during a training camp in Santiago from Oct. 7-15. Both matches will be played at Complejo Deportivo Quilin, Chile’s national training center.
After leading the U.S. Olympic Men’s Soccer Team to the quarterfinals at this summer’s 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time since 2000, Marko Mitrović will serve as head coach for then U-20 Men’s Youth National Team.
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2005 are age-eligible for next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, set for Sept. 27-Oct. 19. Mitrovic called up 14 players born in 2005, six born in 2006 and two born in 2007: New England Revolution forward Peyton Miller and LA Galaxy forward Ruben Ramos Jr.
A total of 12 Major League Soccer clubs are represented on the roster, led by two players each from Atlanta United FC and the San Jose Earthquakes. Eight players are based abroad in England (three players), Germany, Portugal (two each) and Spain (one).
U.S. UNDER-20 MEN’S YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER – OCTOBER TRAINING CAMP
Goalkeepers (2): Gavin Beavers (Real Salt Lake; Henderson, Nev.), Julian Eyestone (Brentford/ENG; Dallas, Texas)
Defenders (7): Noahkai Banks (Augsburg/GER; Dietmannsried, Germany), Noah Cobb (Atlanta United FC; Chattanooga, Tenn.), Leo Duru (Blackburn Rovers/ENG; Manchester, England), Ethan Kohler (Werder Bremen/GER; Campbell, Calif.), Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas), Oscar Verhoeven (San Jose Earthquakes; Pleasant Hill, Calif.), Joshua Wynder (Benfica/POR; Louisville, Ky.)
Midfielders (7): Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; Key Biscayne, Fla.), Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew; Columbus, Ohio), Bryan Moyado (Los Angeles FC; La Puente, Calif.), Sergio Oregel Jr. (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.), Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo FC; Chicago, Ill.), Pedro Soma (Barcelona/ESP; Coconut Creek, Fla.), Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.)
Forwards (6): Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Luke Brennan (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Aidan Dausch (Coventry City/ENG; London, England), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution; Unionville, Conn.), Ruben Ramos Jr. (LA Galaxy; La Puente, Calif.), Marcos Zambrano (Vitoria Guimaraes/POR; Gladwyne, Penn.)
FIRST CAMP SINCE QUALIFYING
This October marks the first training camp for the U-20s since the group successfully qualified for the World Cup at this summer’s Concacaf U-20 Championship, finishing runner-up after a narrow overtime loss to Mexico in the final. Eleven players from that squad were called to Chile: Noah Cobb, Julian Eyestone, Taha Habroune, Ethan Kohler, Nolan Norris, Sergio Oregel Jr., Brooklyn Raines, Ruben Ramos Jr., Pedro Soma, Niko Tsakiris and Marcos Zambrano.
Ramos Jr. and Zambrano each scored twice for the U.S. in Mexico, while Habroune, Kohler and Raines also added goals. Ramos Jr. netted the game-winner in the 1-0 quarterfinal victory vs. Guatemala to punch the USA’s World Cup ticket while Raines tallied the late difference-maker in the 2-1 semifinal win vs. Panama.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
A number of players already have represented the United States on some of the game’s biggest stages. Midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi was the youngest player on the U.S. squad at this summer’s Men’s Olympic Soccer Tournament. He appeared in two matches as the USA advanced from the group stage for just the second time since the current format was introduced in 1960.
Midfielder Niko Tsakiris and defender Joshua Wynder were a part of the U.S. team at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. The duo helped the USA reach the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Uruguay, becoming the only nation to reach the final eight at the last four tournaments.
Five players represented the U.S. at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, leading the U.S. to the knockout stage before a narrow defeat to eventual champion Germany: Noahkai Banks, Taha Habroune, Peyton Miller, Pedro Soma and Oscar Verhoeven.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- This is the fourth training camp this year for the 2005-birth year, following U-19 camps in March and June, plus the Concacaf U-20 Championship. Six players have appeared in all four camps: Taha Habroune, Ethan Kohler, Nolan Norris, Sergio Oregel Jr., Pedro Soma and Marcos Zambrano.
- Five of the eight players based abroad developed in U.S. academy set-ups. Three came up through MLS clubs- Julian Eyestone (FC Dallas), Kohler (San Jose Earthquakes) and Zambrano (Philadelphia Union), while Joshua Wynder played for Louisville City FC in the USL Championship.
- The 2007-born players, Peyton Miller and Ruben Ramos Jr., are age-eligible for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
- The players hail from 12 states, led by five from California and two each from Florida, Illinois and Texas.
- Midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi lifted the Supporters’ Shield on Oct. 2 with Inter Miami CF as his club clinched the top of the regular season standings.
- Forward Ruben Ramos Jr. has tallied in three of his last four games for Ventura County FC in MLS NEXT Pro, most recently vs. St. Louis CITY 2 on Sept. 29.
- Midfielder Niko Tsakiris notched his first assist of the season for the San Jose Earthquakes on Oct. 2 vs. FC Dallas.
