USMNT U-20 head coach Mikey Varas has called in 20 players for a pair of matches in Argentina, in what is likely the team’s last camp before the critical CONCACAF qualifying tournament in summer.
With this summer’s 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Honduras quickly approaching, Varas has named a strong squad for a pair of test matches in Bueno Aires in late-March.
The camp will take place in Argentina from March 21-30, and will include two games for the young squad; a direct match-up against Argentina’s own U-20 team on March 26, then an exhibition against a collection of first-team and reserve players from River Plate three days later.
With this camp taking place during an official international break, and with the all-important qualifying tournament just around the corner, Varas has called in a strong squad filled with a number of first-team players from MLS and major European teams.
Apart from a small number of notable absences, this will likely form the core of the team that Varas will bring to Honduras in June, as they attempt to qualify for both the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia in 2023, and the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The roster includes six players who are currently on European first-team or developmental rosters, and another – Caden Clark – who is owned by Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, but on-loan with their MLS affiliate in New York.
There are two glaring absences from the squad; Chicago Fire keeper Gabriel Slonina’s omission likely confirms that he will once again be included in Gregg Berhalter’s squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers for senior USMNT. Conversely, San Jose Earthquakes forward Cade Cowell was absent from the team’s lineup in MLS play over the weekend, seemingly due to injury, which is likely preventing him from joining his U-20 teammates in Argentina.
U-20 USMNT Roster by Position (Club; Hometown; U-20 Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Alexander Borto (Fulham/ENG; South Plainfield, N.J.; 1/0), Christopher Brady (Chicago Fire FC; Naperville, Ill.; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (7): Justin Che (Hoffenheim/GER; Richardson, Texas; 3/0), Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.; 0/0), Mauricio Cuevas (Club Brugge/BEL; Los Angeles, Calif.; 0/0), Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy; Santa Clarita, Calif.; 0/0), Kobi Henry (Orange County; Lake Forest, Calif.; 2/0), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; Lakewood, Calif.; 3/0), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; Atlanta, Ga.; 3/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Paxten Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; Medford, N.J.; 2/0), Caden Clark (New York Red Bulls; Wayzata, Minn.; 2/1), Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls; Warren, N.J.; 2/0), Diego Luna (El Paso Locomotive; Redwood, Calif.; 2/1), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Middle Village, N.Y.; 2/0), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split/CRO; Stillwater, Okla.; 2/0), Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders; Anchorage, Alaska)
FORWARDS (4): Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.; 3/0), Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; South Riding, Va.; 0/0), Dante Sealy (PSV Eindhoven/NED; Frisco, Texas; 2/0), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.; 1/0)
