The United States U-19 squad will have their spring break trip in South America, after head coach Marko Mitrović named a 20-player roster for their camp in Argentina.
The team will train in Bueno Aires through March 28, playing a pair of exhibition matches against their equivalent Argentinean youth team on Friday, March 24, then will face a selection of players from local team Racing Club de Avellaneda three days later.
This is the second camp in 2023 from Mitrović, after he called a collection of 23 players into a domestic camp in Florida back in January.
Of the 20 players named, five are based in overseas clubs, while 12 are attached to MLS clubs. Notably, Florida-born forward Rodrigo Neri, who is a member of Atlético Madrid’s Academy, Leicester City’s Zack Booth and recent Benfica signee Marcos Zambrano highlight the European contingent of attacking players.
While all of the players on the roster are eligible for the upcoming U-20 World Cup, it is unlikely that any will make the jump to the final squad to be named by Mikey Varas later in the spring for the trip to Indonesia.
DC United attacker Kristian Fletcher is one of the few players named with any shot, despite being the third youngest player making the trip, as he has previously participated in a U-20 camp led by Varas.
After showing his scoring chops in recent call-ups, Neri could also feasibly give himself the narrowest of openings, should he put on the sort of prolific showing that his earlier performances with the U-19s and in the Spanish club academy system have pointed towards.
U-19 MYNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Gavin Beavers (Real Salt Lake; Las Vegas, Nev.), Charles DeMarco (BW Gottschee; New York, N.Y.)
DEFENDERS (7): Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Tyler Bindon (Los Angeles FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.), Alexander Freeman (Orlando City SC; Plantation, Fla.), Drew Murray (Oakland Roots; San Jose, Calif.), Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Celina, Texas), Walter Portales (Club America/MEX; Los Angeles, Calif.), Fritz Volmar (St. Louis CITY SC; St. Louis, Mo.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Favian Loyola (Orlando City SC; Orlando, Fla.), Bryan Moyado (Los Angeles FC; La Puente, Calif.), Sergio Oregel Jr. (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.), Miguel Perez (St. Louis CITY SC; St. Louis, Mo.), Paulo Rudisill (LA Galaxy; Irvine, Calif.), Marcel Ruszel (Torino/ITA; Barrington, IL)
FORWARDS (5): Zach Booth (Leicester City/ENG; Eden, Utah), Kristian Fletcher (DC United; Bethesda, Md.), Rodrigo Neri (Atletico Madrid/ESP; Madrid, Spain), Korede Osundina (Orange County SC; Redmond, Wash.), Marcos Zambrano (Benfica/POR; Gladwyne, Pa.)
