US Soccer has announced the roster of 20 players who will participate in the US Under-21 Men’s National Team training camp from November 10 to 18 in Europe. During the camp, the U-21 MNT will play away matches against Denmark on November 14 and against Serbia on November 18. Michael Morris, who served as an assistant coach for the U-20 MNT last cycle, will lead the U-21 MNT in November.
The Under-21 MNT consists of players born on or after January 1, 2004 and will train and compete until the summer of 2026 in an effort to catch up on national team programming that players in this age group have missed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Men’s Olympic Soccer team, made up of players under the age of 23 eligible for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, will officially begin play in the second half of 2026.
“The under-21 age group is prevalent in international soccer, and this programming allows us to continue to build a foundation for all of our national team programs,” said U.S. Soccer athletic director Matt Crocker. “We have players in this group who have already been in the senior national team, and many more players who may be just a small step away from establishing themselves at that level. We continue our work to connect the senior team with our youth teams and organizing Under-21 camps helps us provide them with high-level international opportunities to further their development.”
The U.S. will train in Vejle, Denmark, from November 10-13, and on November 14 the United States will face Denmark U-21 at Vejle Stadium. The USA will then face Serbia U-21 on November 18 at the TSC Arena in Bačka Topola, Serbia. Both matches start at 6:00 PM local time (noon ET).
The roster includes three players who have already been part of a U.S. men’s national team camp, led by forward Damion Downs, who has earned six caps. Goalkeeper Gaga Slonina made his senior debut in 2023, while Diego Kochen was also part of USMNT camps this past year. Thirteen players have represented the U.S. at a FIFA Youth World Cup, including nine players from last month’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile: Reed Baker-Whiting, Cole Campbell, Noah Cobb, Zavier Gozo, Ethan Kohler, Nolan Norris, Peyton Miller, Brooklyn Raines and Niko Tsakiris.
Brandan Craig, Rokas Pukstas and Darren Yapi were also on the U.S. roster along with Slonina and Tsakiris at the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina.
This month’s camp is part of the Federation’s continued focus on the US Way philosophy, which emphasizes increased programming for youth national teams to create more opportunities for young players to advance to the senior national team with the goal of representing their country at a world championship.
NATIONAL MEN’S TEAM US UNDER 21 – NOVEMBER CAMP (CLUB; HOME TOWN)
GOALKEEPS (2):Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona/ESP Miramar, Florida), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; Addison, Illinois)
DEFENDERS (6):Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders; Seattle, Wash.), Noah Cobb (Colorado Rapids; Chattanooga, Tenn.), Brandan Craig (CF Montreal/CAN; Philadelphia, Pa.), Ethan Kohler (SC Verl/GER; Campbell, Calif.), Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas), Thomas Williams (Orlando City; Titusville, Fla.)
MIDFIELDERS (6):Santiago Castaneda (Pderborn/GER, FLA.), Jackson Hopkins (DC United; Fredericksburg, Va.), Rokas Pukstas (hajduk split/cro; Stillwater, Oklalyn Raines (Houston dynamo; California), Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati; Boca Raton, FLA.)
FORWARD (6):Cole Campbell (Borussia Dortmund/GER; Peachtree City, Georgia), Damion Downs (Southampton/ENG; Werneck, Germany), Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake; Eagle Mountain, Utah), Mykhi Joyner (St. Louis City; Bloomington, IL), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution; Unionville, Connecticut), Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids; Denver, Colorado)
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