U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team vs. Italy
2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup – Round of 16
Thursday, October 9 | Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile
3:30 p.m. ET on Universo, Peacock
USA SEEKS FIFTH CONSECUTIVE TRIP TO THE QUARTERFINALS
The U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team now turns its attention to the knockout round following its 2-1 loss to South Africa in the group stage finale. By finishing at the top of Group E, the U.S. stays in Rancagua to play Italy, who finished second in Group D. The USA will be playing for a fifth consecutive trip to the quarterfinals, a streak that dates back to the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
2025 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP – USA GROUP E SCHEDULE/RESULTS
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Time (ET)/Result | TV Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Sept. 29 | New Caledonia | Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile | 9-1 W | - |
| Thursday, Oct. 2 | France | Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile | 3-0 W | - |
| Sunday, Oct. 5 | South Africa | Estadio El Teniente; Rancagua, Chile | 2-1 | - |
2025 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP – GROUP E STANDINGS/RESULTS
| W | L | D | GD | PTS | |
| USA | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| France | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| South Africa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| New Caledona | 0 | 3 | 0 | -19 | 0 |
September 29
France 2, South Africa 1
USA 9, New Caledonia 1
October 2
USA 3, France 0
South Africa 5, New Caledonia 0
October 5
USA 1, South Africa 2
France 6, New Caledonia 0
2025 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COUNTRY; U-20 CAPS/GOALS; HOMETOWN)
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Gavin Beavers (Brøndby/DEN; Henderson, Nev.; 2/0), 12-Adam Beaudry (Colorado Rapids; Castle Pines, Colo.; 10/0), 21-Duran Ferree (San Diego FC; San Diego, Calif.; 1/0)
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders; Seattle, Wash.; 9/0), 18-Luca Bombino (San Diego FC; Saugus, Calif.; 11/0), 5-Noah Cobb (Colorado Rapids; Chattanooga, Tenn.; 14/1), 16-Ethan Kohler (SC Verl/GER; Campbell, Calif.; 14/1), 3-Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas; 18/2), 17-Frankie Westfield (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.; 9/1), 4-Joshua Wynder (Benfica/POR; Louisville, Ky.; 14/1)
MIDFIELDERS (6): 19-Matthew Corcoran (Nashville SC; Dallas, Texas; 8/1), 8-Benjamin Cremaschi (Parma/ITA; Key Biscayne, Fla.; 12/5), 14-Taha Habroune(Columbus Crew; Columbus, Ohio; 17/3), 6-Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo; Chicago, Ill.; 18/2), 15-Pedro Soma (San Diego FC; Coconut Creek, Fla.; 17/2), 10-Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.; 26/9)
FORWARDS (5): 11-Luke Brennan (Atlanta United; Atlanta, Ga.; 12/2), 7-Cole Campbell (Borussia Dortmund/GER; Peachtree City, Ga.; 6/2), 20-Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake City; Eagle Mountain, Utah; 14/3), 13-Peyton Miller (New England Revolution; Unionville, Conn.; 8/1), 9-Marcos Zambrano (Real Salt Lake; Gladwyne, Pa.; 16/7)
DEBUT GOAL EXTENDS TEAM RECORD
Defender Noah Cobb’s 12th-minute goal against South Africa was his first as a U-20 MNT player in addition to it being his first World Cup goal. With the tally, he also became the 10th different goal scorer for the U.S. at this U-20 World Cup, extending the record for most individual goal scorers at one tournament. The previous record had been eight.
GOALS GALORE
Largely powered by its 9-1 win over New Caledonia, the U.S. broke the team record for most goals scored in a group stage with a final tally of 13 goals. The previous record of nine was set in 2007. In that tournament, the USA drew with Korea Republic 1-1, thumped Poland 6-1, and defeated Brazil 2-1.
DRIVE FOR FIVE
The U.S. seeks its fifth-straight win in the Round of 16. The streak began in 2015, when the USA defeated Colombia 1-0. In 2017, the U.S. dominated New Zealand en route to a 6-0 win. In 2019, the USA squeezed past France with a 3-2 win thanks to an 83rd-minute Justin Rennicks’ game-winner. In the most recent edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2023, the U.S. blew past New Zealand 4-0. The U.S. is the only country to have reached the quarterfinals in each of the last four tournaments.
ITALY ADVANCES DESPITE ONE POINT IN FINAL TWO MATCHES
The road to the knockout round has been tough for Italy, who finished as runner-up at the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina. Following a 1-0 win against Australia to open the tournament, Italy gave up a two-goal lead in its second group stage match and had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Cuba. Italy fell to Argentina in a tough 1-0 loss to finish the group stage with four points. But it was enough to finish second in Group D, setting up Thursday’s Round of 16 meeting with the U.S. in Rancagua.
USA ROSTER NOTES
- Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2005, are age-eligible for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
- Head coach Marko Mitrović selected 11 players born in 2005, eight born in 2006 and two born in 2007.
- The roster features players from 19 clubs, including 16 from 12 different Major League Soccer teams. San Diego FC leads the way with three selections, followed by two each from Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake. Five players are based abroad: two in Germany, and one player each in Denmark, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
- The USA qualified for the 2025 U-20 World Cup after a runner-up finish at the 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Mexico. The USA rolled through the group stage with wins against Jamaica (9-0), Cuba (4-0) and Costa Rica (1-0), before a 1-0 quarterfinal victory against Guatemala and 2-1 semifinal win over Panama. Despite taking the lead, the USA fell 2-1 in extra time to hosts Mexico in the final.
USA VS. ITALY
- Thursday will mark the second-ever meeting between the USA and Italy at the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
- The USA fell 3-1 in the previous matchup which also came in the Round of 16 during the 2005 tournament in Enschede, Netherlands.
- This year marks Italy’s ninth overall appearance at the FIFA U-20 World Cup and its fourth straight appearance in the tournament.
- In 2023, Italy finished as the runners up at the FIFA U-20 World Cup following a 1-0 loss to Uruguay in the final. It’s the country’s best finish at the tournament.
- Nineteen players on Italy’s 21-man roster are based domestically. Two are based abroad, with one apiece in the Netherlands and Spain.
ITALY – 2025 FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Alessandro Nunziante (Udinese), 12-Jacopo Seghetti (Livorno), 18-Lapo Siviero (Torino)
DEFENDERS (7): 2-Javison Idele (Atalanta), 3-Cristian Cama (Roma), 4-Christian Corradi (Trento), 5-Andrea Natali (AZ Alkmaar/NED), 6-Wisdom Amey (Pianese), 13-Emanuel Benjamin (Real Madrid/ESP), 15-Francesco Verde (Juventus)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 7-Jacopo Sardo (Monza), 8-Mattia Mannini (Juve Stabia), 14-Emanuele Sala (AC Milan), 16-Alessandro Barretta (Giana Erminio), 21-Lorenzo Riccio (Atalanta)
FORWARDS (6): 9-Ismaël Konaté (Empoli), 10-Marco Romano (Genoa), 11-Mattia Mosconi (Inter Milan), 17-Jamal Iddrissou (Inter Milan), 19-Alvin Okoro (Juventus), 20-Mattia Liberali (Catanzaro)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
- Italy finished second in Group D to reach the knockout round. In group stage play, Italy defeated Australia 1-0, drew with Cuba 2-2, and fell to Argentina 1-0.
- Italy secured one of UEFA’’s five World Cup spots after reaching the semifinals of the 2024 UEFA European U-19 Championship.
- In the group stage, Italy defeated Norway 2-1, beat Northern Ireland 3-0, and lost to Ukraine 3-2 to finish at the top of Group A and officially qualify for the U-20 World Cup.
- In the semifinals, Italy fell to eventual champion Spain, 1-0 in extra time.
U-20 WORLD CUP HISTORY
The United States has qualified for 18 of 24 all-time U-20 World Cups, tied for second-most all-time with Argentina. The biennial tournament was staged for the first time in 1977 and Tunisia hosted the inaugural event, originally held as the FIFA World Youth Championship before becoming the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007. The USA’s first qualification came at the 1981 tournament, which was held in Australia.
The USA has made it out of the group stage 12 times at the competition with the high watermark coming in 1989. Led by future legendary USMNT goalkeeper Kasey Keller, the U.S. finished fourth place in Saudi Arabia that year. Keller took home the Silver Ball at the tournament, while fellow future senior team players Mike Burns, Neil Covone and Chris Henderson also played key roles. While the U-20s advanced from group play with just one win, the USA took down Iraq in the quarterfinals before falling in extra time to Nigeria in the semis.