USMNT U-21 National Team Ready for Training Camp, Couple of Friendlies in November – SBI Soccer

The U.S. Men’s National Team won’t be the only team in action this month.

US Soccer has announced a roster of 20 players who will participate in a U.S. Under-21 Men’s National Team training camp in Europe from November 10 to 18. The USMNT U-21s will also face Denmark in Vejle on November 14 and Serbia in Backa Topola on November 18, with former USMNT U-20 assistant coach Michael Morris serving as head coach of this U-21 team.

Damion Downs, Gabriel Slonina and Diego Kochen have all been called up to previous USMNT senior camps, with Downs leading the way with six caps. Thirteen players have represented the United States 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, Brooklyn Raines and Niko Tsakiris were among those seen in Chile in October. Brandan Craig, Rokas Pukstas and Darren Yapi were also on the USMNT U-20 roster along with Slonina and Tsakiris at the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina.

The USMNT U-21s will train and compete through the summer of 2026 in an effort to catch up on the national team programming that players in this current age group have missed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This camp will also serve as great preparation for the USMNT U-21s ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Olympic rosters will mainly feature players under the age of 23.

“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.”

Here’s a look at the entire USMNT U-21 roster:

GOALKEEPS: Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona/ESP Miramar, Florida), Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; Addison, Illinois).

DEFENDERS: 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: Santiago Castañeda (Pderborn/GER, FLA.), Jackson Hopkins (dc United; Fredericksburg, Vaas pukstas (hajduk split/cro; stilllwater, oklalyn raines (houston dynamo; California), Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati; Boca Raton, FLA.).

FORWARD: 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, Conn.), Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids; Denver, Colorado).