U.S. U-19 Men’s Youth National Team heading to South America for pair of friendlies

CHICAGO – U.S. Under-19 Men’s Youth National Team head coach Michael Nsien has called 24 players to training camp in South America for matches against Argentina on Friday, June 7 in Buenos Aires and Uruguay on Tuesday, June 11 in Montevideo.

The USA is preparing for this summer’s Concacaf Under-20 Championship in Guanajuato, Mexico, which will send four nations to the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2005 are age-eligible for the 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship. Nsien will lead the 2005-birth year U-19 MYNT during its preparations for and at the World Cup qualifying tournament this summer. For this roster, Nsien selected 10 players born in 2005, 12 born in 2006, one born in 2007- Real Salt Lake forward Zavier Gozo- and one born in 2008- Charlotte FC forward Nimfasha Berchimas.

U-19 MEN’S YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM – JUNE TRAINING CAMP – ARGENTINA/URUGUAY

GOALKEEPERS (3): Adam Beaudry (Colorado Rapids; Castle Pines, Colo.), Gavin Beavers (Real Salt Lake; Henderson, Nev.), Julian Eyestone (Unattached; Dallas, Texas)

DEFENDERS (8): Matai Akinmboni (D.C. United; Upper Marlboro, Md.), Luca Bombino (LAFC; Saugus, Calif.), Noah Cobb (Atlanta United FC; Chattanooga, Tenn.), Aiden Harangi (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER; Reston, Va.), Stuart Hawkins (Seattle Sounders FC; Fox Island, Wash.), Ethan Kohler (Werder Bremen/GER; Campbell, Calif.), Drew Murray (SC Freiburg/GER; San Jose, Calif.), Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew; Columbus, Ohio), Cruz Medina (San Jose Earthquakes; San Francisco, Calif.), Sergio Oregel Jr. (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.), Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo FC; Chicago, Ill.), Paulo Rudisill (Feyenoord/NED; Irvine, Calif.), Pedro Soma (UE Cornella/ESP; Coconut Creek, Fla.), Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.)

FORWARDS (6): Nimfasha Berchimas (Charlotte FC; High Point, N.C.), Keyrol Figueroa (Liverpool/ENG; Warrington, England), Kristian Fletcher (D.C. United; Bowie, Md.), Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake; Eagle Mountain, Utah), David Vazquez (Philadelphia Union; Los Angeles, Calif.), Marcos Zambrano (Vitoria Guimaraes/POR; Gladwyne, Pa.)

The roster features players from 20 different clubs, including 13 from Major League Soccer. Two players each come from D.C. United, Real Salt Lake, and the San Jose Earthquakes and 14 are MLS Homegrown Players. Seven are based abroad in Germany (three), England, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

Midfielder Niko Tsakiris helped the U.S. qualify for the last FIFA U-20 World Cup at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, netting three goals, and also represented the USA at the World Cup in Argentina. Ten players were a part of the USA’s strong showing at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup last fall in Indonesia: goalkeeper Adam Beaudry, defenders Aiden Harangi and Stuart Hawkins, midfielders Taha Habroune, Cruz Medina, Paulo Rudisill and Pedro Soma plus forwards Nimfasha Berchimas, Keyrol Figueroa and David Vazquez. Defender Luca Bombino was an alternate for the tournament.

Three helped the U.S. take fourth at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile, its best finish since 1999: defender Nolan Norris plus midfielders Sergio Oregel Jr. and Brooklyn Raines.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Forward David Vazquez bagged a brace in his last match with Philadelphia Union II on May 26, a 5-1 win at New York Red Bulls II. The forward signed a homegrown contract with the Philadelphia Union on April 29.
• Defender Noah Cobb has developed into a regular starter for Atlanta United FC this season, starting in nine of the club’s sixteen matches in 2024.
• Goalkeeper Gavin Beavers earned his first MLS clean sheet in a 4-0 win over Chicago Fire on April 20, and followed that up with another clean sheet in his next start on May 15, in a 2-0 win vs. the Seattle Sounders.
• Earlier this month, midfielder Niko Tsakiris served up the game-winning assist in the San Jose Earthquakes’ 1-0 win vs. Oakland Roots SC in the fourth round of the US Open Cup on May 7.
• Returning to National Team camp for the first time since a standout performance at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, forward Nimfasha Berchimas made his MLS debut as a late substitute in Charlotte FC’s 1-0 win over New York City FC in the season opener on February 24.
• Also back with the National Team for the first time since the U-17 World Cup, Keyrol Figueroa signed his first professional contract with English Premier League side Liverpool FC earlier this month on May 7. The striker scored three goals and tallied two assists in eight appearances for the Liverpool U-18s this season.