2017 U-20 World Cup Vets Rising to MNT Future in 2018 January Camp
For the U.S. Men’s National Team right now, it’s all about the
future. There’s no better punctuation of that theme than the composition
of the current January Camp roster.
Upon the opening of camp last week, 21 of the 29 invitees were aged 24 and under. Fifteen of are uncapped and 10 have joined the MNT for the first time.
Clearly youth is the movement for the senior side, and the promise in the Youth National Team program is also showing through in this camp as 12 players on the roster have represented the U.S. at a Youth World Cup. Two more players – Russell Canouse and Kelyn Rowe -- were part of qualifying rosters during their respective youth team cycles.
Perhaps most instructive is the fact that four players from the USA roster at 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup are present in Carson, Calif.: Danny Acosta, Tyler Adams, Justen Glad and Brooks Lennon.
From left to right: Tyler Adams, Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad and Danny Acosta
Part of the first U.S. team to win the CONCACAF Championship at the
U-20 level, they’re the initial crop from a group which ran to the
quarterfinals in Korea Republic last summer to cycle into the senior
team. Most certainly, they will not be the last.
“From the beginning, we knew we had a talented group,” Acosta, a dual national with the U.S. and Honduras, told ussoccer.com “We had a team that worked hard for each other, represented our country well and showed that the future is bright for our national team program.”
At age 18, Adams is the youngest of the rising U-20 quartet, but has some seniority in that he already earned his senior team debut in the MNT’s 1-1 draw with Portugal last November. Long involved in the Youth National Team program, the New York Red Bulls utility man recalled an instance during his time with the U-17 MNT in agreeing with Acosta’s assessment.
“When I was in residency, I remember our U-17s scrimmaging the U-20 MNT,” Adams said. “At the time, the U-20 team had Rubio Rubin, Russell Canouse, Marky Delgado, Matt Miazga, Kellyn Acosta. Our U-17 team had myself, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie. It’s nice to see we were all on the field at the same time and respectively everyone’s doing a good job at their club. Now were coming together making a rise with the National Team. That’s pretty cool as well.”
One of the underlying themes for the youthful MNT players in this camp and moving forward is taking the first steps in getting the senior team back on track towards Qatar in 2022.
“Every time you wear the crest, it’s a responsibility,” Acosta said. “We didn’t make the World Cup. We’re sad about that, we’re disappointed, but it’s a new start for everyone. I feel a responsibility now to help push things forward, and I would say the 28 other guys in this camp feel the same way.”
Upon the opening of camp last week, 21 of the 29 invitees were aged 24 and under. Fifteen of are uncapped and 10 have joined the MNT for the first time.
Clearly youth is the movement for the senior side, and the promise in the Youth National Team program is also showing through in this camp as 12 players on the roster have represented the U.S. at a Youth World Cup. Two more players – Russell Canouse and Kelyn Rowe -- were part of qualifying rosters during their respective youth team cycles.
Perhaps most instructive is the fact that four players from the USA roster at 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup are present in Carson, Calif.: Danny Acosta, Tyler Adams, Justen Glad and Brooks Lennon.
From left to right: Tyler Adams, Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad and Danny Acosta
“From the beginning, we knew we had a talented group,” Acosta, a dual national with the U.S. and Honduras, told ussoccer.com “We had a team that worked hard for each other, represented our country well and showed that the future is bright for our national team program.”
At age 18, Adams is the youngest of the rising U-20 quartet, but has some seniority in that he already earned his senior team debut in the MNT’s 1-1 draw with Portugal last November. Long involved in the Youth National Team program, the New York Red Bulls utility man recalled an instance during his time with the U-17 MNT in agreeing with Acosta’s assessment.
“When I was in residency, I remember our U-17s scrimmaging the U-20 MNT,” Adams said. “At the time, the U-20 team had Rubio Rubin, Russell Canouse, Marky Delgado, Matt Miazga, Kellyn Acosta. Our U-17 team had myself, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie. It’s nice to see we were all on the field at the same time and respectively everyone’s doing a good job at their club. Now were coming together making a rise with the National Team. That’s pretty cool as well.”
One of the underlying themes for the youthful MNT players in this camp and moving forward is taking the first steps in getting the senior team back on track towards Qatar in 2022.
“Every time you wear the crest, it’s a responsibility,” Acosta said. “We didn’t make the World Cup. We’re sad about that, we’re disappointed, but it’s a new start for everyone. I feel a responsibility now to help push things forward, and I would say the 28 other guys in this camp feel the same way.”
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2018 January Camp Roster Representation at Youth World Cups
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Player
|
Youth World Cups
|
YWC Qualifying
|
|
Danny Acosta
|
2017 U-20 WC
|
2017 U-20 CONCACAF
|
|
Tyler Adams
|
2015 U-17 WC
2017 U-20 WC |
2015 U-17 CONCACAF
2017 U-20 CONCACAF
|
|
Juan Agudelo
|
2009 U-17 WC
|
2009 U-17 CONCACAF
|
|
Paul Arriola
|
2011 U-17 WC
2015 U-20 WC |
2011 U-17 CONCACAF
2015 U-20 CONCACAF |
|
Russell Canouse
|
N/A**
|
2015 U-20 CONCACAF
|
|
Cody Cropper
|
2013 U-20 WC
|
2011 U-20 CONCACAF
2013 U-20 CONCACAF |
|
Marky Delgado
|
2015 U-20 WC
|
N/A
|
|
Justen Glad
|
2017 U-20 WC
|
2013 U-17 CONCACAF
2017 U-20 CONCACAF |
|
Brooks Lennon
|
2017 U-20 WC
|
2017 U-20 CONCACAF
|
|
Ike Opara
|
2009 U-20 WC
|
N/A
|
|
Kelyn Rowe
|
N/A
|
2011 U-20 CONCACAF
|
|
Rubio Rubin
|
2015 U-20 WC
|
2013 U-17 CONCACAF
|
|
Zack Steffen
|
2015 U-20 WC
|
2015 U-20 CONCACAF
|
|
Wil Trapp
|
2013 U-20 WC
|
2013 U-20 CONCACAF
|
| ** Russell Canouse was named to the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup roster, but had to withdraw due to injury | ||
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