USA roster announced for 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship

CHICAGO – U.S. Under-17 Men’s Youth National Team head coach Gonzalo Segares has selected the 20-player roster that will represent the USA at the 2023 Concacaf Under-17 Championship, set for Feb. 11-26 in Guatemala.

The USA will aim to qualify for a record 18th FIFA U-17 World Cup as four teams will book tickets to the 2023 tournament, set for this fall in Peru.

The U.S. was drawn into Group F and kicks off the competition against Barbados on Saturday, Feb. 11, takes on Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, Feb. 13, and closes the group stage against regional rival Canada on Wednesday, Feb. 15. All three of the USA’s group stage matches are set for 8 p.m. ET.

2023 CONCACAF U-17 CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN)

GOALKEEPERS (2): Adam Beaudry (Colorado Rapids; Castle Pines, Colo.), Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona/ESP; Miramar, Fla.)

DEFENDERS (6): Christian Diaz (LAFC; San Bernardino, Calif.), Tyler Hall (Inter Miami CF; Miramar, Fla.), Aidan Harangi (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER; Zwingenberg, Germany), Stuart Hawkins (Seattle Sounders FC; Fox Island, Wash.), Sawyer Jura (Portland Timbers; Bend, Ore.), Oscar Verhoeven (San Jose Earthquakes; Pleasant Hill, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Christopher Aquino (Seattle Sounders FC; Pasco, Wash.), Adrian Gill (FC Barcelona/ESP; Denver, Colo.), Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew; Columbus, Ohio), Cruz Medina (San Jose Earthquakes; San Francisco, Calif.), Edwyn Mendoza (San Jose Earthquakes; San Francisco, Calif.), Paulo Rudisill (LA Galaxy; Irvine, Calif.), Pedro Soma (UE Cornella/ESP; Coconut Creek, Fla.)

FORWARDS (5): Micah Burton (Austin FC; Mounds View, Minn.), Brian Carmona (Charlotte FC; Concord, N.C.), Keyrol Figueroa (Liverpool/ENG; Warrington, U.K.), Ezekiel Soto (Houston Dynamo FC; Menifee, Calif.) David Vasquez (Philadelphia Union; Los Angeles, Calif.)

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2006 are age-eligible for the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship. Segares selected 19 players born in 2006 and just one born in 2007- Houston Dynamo forward Ezekiel Soto.

The squad features players from 16 clubs, including 12 from Major League Soccer, led by three players from the San Jose Earthquakes. Four players are based abroad in Spain (two), England and Germany. Goalkeeper Diego Kochen and midfielder Adrian Gil are based at Spanish superpower FC Barcelona, while forward Keyrol Figueroa is playing in the academy of English giant Liverpool. Kochen, who has served as the U-17s’ captain for much of the cycle, was nominated for 2022 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year, presented by Chipotle, last December.

Seven players have been called up to seven of the eight U-17 training camps since the cycle kicked off in November 2021: defenders Christian Diaz, Tyler Hall and Oscar Verhoeven, midfielders Cruz Medina and Edwyn Mendoza plus forwards Micah Burton and Soto,

The Concacaf U-17 Championship features 20 teams – 16 divided into four groups of four, and four who have already advanced to the Round of 16 via pre-tournament qualifying. The U.S. is looking to win its fourth Concacaf title at this age level after taking home its last U-17 championship in 2011.

Advanced to Round of 16 via pre-tournament qualifying: Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua

The top three finishers in the four groups will advance to the Round of 16 and join the four teams already qualified for the knockout round. From there, the teams will play a single-elimination tournament with the four semifinalists qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

All three of the USA’s group stage games will be played at Estadio Pensativo in Antigua, Guatemala. Estadio Nacional Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City will serve as the other venue for the tournament.

Three alternates will travel with the U.S. to Guatemala to train with the team prior to the tournament: goalkeeper Duran Ferree (San Diego Loyal), defender Noahkai Banks (Augsburg/GER) and midfielder Santiago Morales (Inter Miami CF). All three players will depart camp before the tournament, barring any injuries.