USA Kicks Off New U-20 MNT Cycle With Two Matches In Slovenia

CHICAGO (Aug. 30, 2019)—The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team will launch its new cycle with two matches in Rogaska Slatina, Slovenia vs. Croatia and United Arab Emirates U-23. After the USA reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup earlier this summer, this training camp represents the start of a new two-year U-20 MNT cycle.

U-20 MNT head coach Tab Ramos has called 22 players, all born in 2001, to Slovenia. 2001 is the birth-year cut-off for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

"We have now had consistent success at this level from a development standpoint, which has been supported by excellent results,” Ramos said. “I’m looking forward to helping a new group of players to continue to raise the bar higher than ever before.”

U.S. U-20 MNT Roster by Position (Club or College; Hometown)

GOALKEEPERS (2): David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; Oxnard, Calif.), Patrick Schulte (Saint Louis University; St. Charles, Mo.)

DEFENDERS (8): Kwabena Boateng (UC Irvine; Elk Grove, Calif.), Jose Kevin Bonilla (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas), George Campbell (Atlanta United; Chester, Pa.), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; Oldsmar, Fla.), Ian Hoffmann (Karlsruher/GER; Wilton, Conn.), Stuart Ritchie (Hannover 96/GER; Pleasanton, Calif.), Leonardo Sepulveda (Salamanca/ESP; Corona, Calif.), Travian Sousa (Hamburg/GER; Sacramento, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids; Littleton, Colo.), Justin Haak (NYCFC; Brooklyn, N.Y.), Marcelo Palomino (Unattached; Houston, Texas), Matteo Ritaccio (Liverpool/ENG; Westbury, N.Y.), Thomas Roberts (FC Dallas; Little Rock, Ark.), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas; Birmingham, Ala.), Indiana Vassilev (Aston Villa/ENG; Savannah, Ga.)

FORWARDS (5): Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona/ESP; Barcelona, Spain), Johan Gomez (Unattached; Keller, Texas), Cameron Harper (Celtic/SCO; Newport Beach, Calif.), Jalen Hawkins (Ingolstadt/GER; Munich, Germany), Charlie Kelman (Southend United/ENG; Basildon, England)

U.S. U-20 MNT Match Schedule

Date	Match-up
Thursday, Sept. 5	USA vs. Croatia
Monday, Sept. 9	USA vs. United Arab Emirates U-23

Two players return from the USA’ 2019 U-20 World Cup squad: forward Konrad De La Fuente and goalkeeper David Ochoa. De La Fuente started all five matches for the USA in Poland, while Ochoa started two games in goal, including a standout performance vs. Qatar in the team’s final group stage game. Midfielder Indiana Vassilev was a part of the USA’s run to the quarterfinals of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India.

Nineteen of 22 players on the roster have spent at least one season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. At the end of the 2018-19 season, forward Johan Gomez and midfielder Justin Haak were named Academy Players of the Year for the Central and East Conferences, respectively.

ROSTER NOTES:

• Sixteen different clubs are represented on the roster, with eight players coming from domestic teams and 10 based abroad in Germany (four), England (three), Spain (two), and Scotland (one).

• The most players from any one club, three, come from FC Dallas.

• Two players recently kicked off their freshman collegiate campaigns: defender Kwabena Boateng at UC Irvine and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte at Saint Louis University.

• Nine players have logged professional minutes this year.

• Five players are signed to MLS Homegrown contracts.

• In the U-19 Bundesliga, forward Jalen Hawkins as well as defenders Ian Hoffmann and Travian Sousa have started all four games for their respective clubs to start the season.

• Midfielder Indiana Vassilev has played in all three games for Aston Villa U-23 to kick off the Premier League 2 season.

ACADEMY NOTES:

• Four players were named to Academy Best XI’s at the end of the 2018-19 season- Haak in the East Conference plus Schulte, forward Johan Gomez and midfielder Tanner Tessmann in the Central.

• Tessmann won the U-18/19 Golden Ball as the postseason’s best player, helping lead FC Dallas to the U-18/19 Academy Championship.

• Two players have won an Academy Championship: Haak with New York City FC U-18/19 in 2018 and defender George Campbell with Atlanta United U-15/16 in 2017.