U-20 USMNT Kicks Off New Cycle at Revelations Cup Vs. Brazil, Colombia and Mexico
USA Begins Prep for 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship in First Training Camp Since January 2020
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CHICAGO (Nov. 5, 2021) -- New U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Mikey Varas will lead the USA at the 2021 Revelations Cup from Nov. 7-17 against Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to kick off the new cycle. Varas has assembled a 23-player roster laden with professional experience to begin preparations for the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, which will serve as qualification to the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“One of my strongest core values is to compete, to always embrace competition, and we’re getting into that right off the bat.” said Varas. “I want to get to know the group as well as I possibly can in the time that we have and lay a foundation for the type of culture that the U-20s are going to have leading into qualification. That culture is going to be everything to create the feeling that we’re on a mission. We’re going to evaluate where our strengths are and how we can capitalize on those strengths, and understand the areas we have to improve.
“We’ll plant the seeds in terms of culture and playing and then get the boys to compete at their best level possible, learn from what happens in this tournament and then create a long-term plan to make sure that when we hit qualifiers, the team’s flying.”
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2003 are eligible for this World Cup cycle. The roster features 18 players born in 2003 and five born in 2004.
U-20 USMNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN) - REVELATIONS CUP
GOALKEEPERS (2): Alexander Borto (Fulham/ENG.; South Plainfield, N.J.), Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire FC.; Addison, Ill.)
DEFENDERS (7): Justin Che (FC Dallas; Richardson, Texas), Jacob Greene (D.C. United; Crofton, Md.), Kobi Henry (Orange County S.C.; Lake Forest, Calif.), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; Lakewood, Calif.), Kayden Pierre (Sporting Kansas City; Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Casey Walls (Mill Valley, Calif.; San Jose Earthquakes), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United F.C.; Atlanta, Ga.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Paxten Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; Medford, N.J.), Caden Clark (New York Red Bulls; Wayzata, Minn.), Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls; Warren, N.J.), Jeremy Garay (D.C. United; Crofton, Md.), Daniel Leyva (Seattle Sounders F.C.; Las Vegas, Nev.), Diego Luna (El Paso Locomotive; Redwood, Calif.), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Middle Village, N.Y.), Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split/CRO; Stillwater, Okla.)
FORWARDS (6): Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; Ceres, Calif.), Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire F.C.; Chicago, Ill.), Missael Rodriguez (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.), Malick Sanogo (1. FC Union Berlin/GER; Berlin, Germany), Dante Sealy (PSV Eindhoven/NED; Frisco, Texas), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.)
REVELATIONS CUP SCHEDULE
All matches broadcast on TUDN
Wednesday, Nov. 10 - USA vs. Brazil - 6 p.m. ET
Saturday, Nov. 13 - USA vs. Colombia - 4:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, Nov. 16 - USA vs. Mexico - 6 p.m. ET
The training camp will be held in accordance with U.S. Soccer’s comprehensive Return to Play protocols. U.S. Soccer requires all staff and players be fully vaccinated in order to attend USYNT training camps. As a leader in the sport, the health and safety of all participants is the top priority for the Federation.
This event marks the U-20 USMNT’s first international action since the team faced Mexico in two friendlies to open the 2020-21 cycle in January 2020. The 2020 Concacaf U-20 Championship and 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The roster boasts impressive professional experience for the start of the U-20 cycle. While every player on the roster is 18 years old or younger, all 18 domestic-based field players have appeared in at least 13 games in Major League Soccer or the USL Championship this season. Forward Cade Cowell has played in 32 of 33 games for the San Jose Earthquakes this year and has scored five goals, good for second on the team. Midfielder Diego Luna has appeared in 31 of 32 games for the USL Championship’s El Paso Locomotive on the year and his nine goals rank third on the team.
Cowell netted his fifth of the season on Oct. 30 vs. Real Salt Lake and midfielder Paxten Aaronson scored his third on Oct. 31 vs. FC Cincinnati. In his 30th appearance for New York Red Bulls II this year, midfielder Daniel Edelman tallied his second professional goal and first of the season on Oct. 30 vs. Loudon United.
Both of the team’s goalkeepers head into camp in good form. Alexander Borto made his first Premier League 2 appearance for Fulham’s U-23s on Nov. 1, in a 2-0 win against Middlesbrough. Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has started the last eight matches for his club and has recorded four shutouts in 10 games this season. Slonina became the youngest starting ‘keeper in MLS history on Aug. 4 vs. New York City FC at 17 years, 81 days.
Defender Justin Che was called into the senior USMNT ahead of its friendly vs. Switzerland in May 2021, while midfielder Daniel Leyva featured for the USA at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil, one of two 16-year-olds on that roster.
Players come from a total of 16 clubs, with the most players, three each, coming from the Philadelphia Union and Chicago Fire FC. Four players are currently based abroad in Croatia, England, Germany and the Netherlands. Fourteen states are represented on the roster, with five players coming from California.