U.S. U-20 Men’s Youth National Team opens camp in Spain ahead of November friendlies

CHICAGO – The U.S. Under-20 Men’s Youth National Team will face Korea Republic on Nov. 16 and France on Nov. 18 during a training camp in Marbella, Spain from Nov. 11-19. Both matches will be played at the Marbella Football Center.

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2005 are age-eligible for next year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup set for Sept. 27-Oct. 19 in Chile. Head coach Marko Mitrović called up 10 players born in 2005, 10 born in 2006 and two born in 2007- forwards Peyton Miller and Ruben Ramos Jr.

A total of 11 Major League Soccer clubs are represented on the roster. Eleven players are based abroad in England and Germany (four players each), Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

U.S. U-20 MYNT ROSTER – NOVEMBER TRAINING CAMP (Club, Hometown)

Goalkeepers (2): Adam Beaudry (Colorado Rapids; Castle Pines, Colo.), Julian Eyestone (Brentford/ENG; Dallas, Texas)

Defenders (8): Matai Akinmboni (D.C. United; Upper Marlboro, Md.), Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Noahkai Banks (Augsburg/GER; Dietmannsried, Germany), Leo Duru (Blackburn Rovers/ENG; Manchester, England), Aiden Harangi (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER; Reston, Va.), Ethan Kohler (Werder Bremen/GER; Campbell, Calif.), Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas), Joshua Wynder (Benfica/POR; Louisville, Ky.)

Midfielders (6): Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; Key Biscayne, Fla.), Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew; Columbus, Ohio), Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo FC; Chicago, Ill.), Paulo Rudisill (Feyenoord/NED; Irvine, Calif.), Pedro Soma (Barcelona/ESP; Coconut Creek, Fla.), Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.)

Forwards (6): Luke Brennan (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), William Campbell (Borussia Dortmund/GER; Peachtree City, Ga.), Keyrol Figueroa (Liverpool/ENG; Warrington, England), Kristian Fletcher (Nottingham Forest; Bowie, Md.), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution; Unionville, Conn.), Ruben Ramos Jr. (LA Galaxy; La Puente, Calif.)

SCHEDULE

Nov. 16
USA vs. Korea Republic – 5 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Marbella Football Center; San Pedro de Alcantara, Spain

Nov. 18
USA vs. France – 5 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
Marbella Football Center; San Pedro de Alcantara, Spain

LAST TIME OUT

Fourteen players return from the U-20s’ October trip to Chile where they split their two matches with the World Cup host. In the first game, two goals in the first 10 minutes from midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi and forward Marcos Zambrano gave the U.S. an early lead before Zambrano added another in the 30th for a 3-0 victory.

Rotating the squad for the second match, the USA gave up two goals just before the half but Cremaschi pulled one back on a penalty kick in the 80th minute. The U.S. wasn’t able to find a late equalizer and fell 2-1.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE

A number of players already have represented the United States on some of the game’s biggest stages. Cremaschi was the youngest player on the U.S. squad at this summer’s Men’s Olympic Soccer Tournament. He appeared in two matches as the USA advanced from the group stage for just the second time since the current format was introduced in 1960.

Midfielder Niko Tsakiris and defender Joshua Wynder were a part of the U.S. team at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. The duo helped the USA reach the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Uruguay, becoming the only nation to reach the final eight at the last four tournaments.

Seven players represented the U.S. at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, leading the U.S. to the knockout stage before a narrow defeat to eventual champion Germany: Adam Beaudry, Noahkai Banks, Taha Habroune, Keyrol Figueroa, Peyton Miller, Paulo Rudisill and Pedro Soma.

BREAKING THROUGH

Back in U.S. camp for the first time since March, forward Cole Campbell has enjoyed an eventful few weeks with German powerhouse Borussia Dortmund. The 18-year-old made his Bundesliga debut in a short appearance on Oct. 26 vs. Augsburg. He saw more substantial minutes as a substitute at Wolfsburg in the DFB-Pokal on Oct. 29, and earlier this week the Georgia native made his UEFA Champions League debut against Sturm Graz, a 1-0 home victory for Dortmund on Nov. 5. Campbell’s appearance was part of a record-breaking day for Americans in Europe’s top club competition during which nine U.S. players took the field.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• This is the fifth training camp this year for the 2005 age group, following U-19 camps in March and June, the Concacaf U-20 Championship and October U-20 camp in Chile. Four players have appeared in all five camps: Taha Habroune, Ethan Kohler, Nolan Norris and Pedro Soma.
• Seven of the 11 players based abroad developed at U.S. professional clubs. Six came up in Major League Soccer set-ups- Cole Campbell (Atlanta United FC), Julian Eyestone (FC Dallas), Keyrol Figueroa (FC Dallas), Kristian Fletcher (D.C. United), Ethan Kohler (San Jose Earthquakes) and Paulo Rudisill (LA Galaxy). Kohler also spent time with Oakland Roots SC and Joshua Wynder played for Louisville City FC in the USL Championship.
• The 2007-born players, Peyton Miller and Ruben Ramos Jr., are age-eligible for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
• The players hail from 12 different states, led by four from California.
• Goalkeeper Adam Beaudry made his MLS debut on Oct. 20 at Austin FC.
• Midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi netted in Inter Miami CF’s 6-2 win vs. New England Revolution on Oct. 20, helping the club set a new MLS single-season points record.
• Defender Nolan Norris has played every minute in North Texas SC’s MLS NEXT Pro playoff campaign, including a 3-0 overtime victory against St. Louis City SC 2 in the Western Conference Final. Norris and North Texas SC will face Philadelphia Union 2 in the MLS NEXT Pro Cup on Saturday, Nov. 9 in Frisco, Texas.