The United States Under-17 Men's National Team, primarily comprised of players born in 2008, has been assembled for the Concacaf qualifying tournament for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The team will be led by Gonzalo Segares, who also managed the U-17 team during the last World Cup cycle.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup is transitioning to an annual event, a positive development that will provide each player class with the opportunity to compete on a global stage. The 2025 edition in Qatar will see a significant expansion, with the number of participating teams doubling from 24 to 48. As a result, eight spots are available in the Concacaf qualifying tournament. However, this expansion has led to a change in the tournament format, potentially making it less competitive. The qualifiers will feature eight groups competing in a round-robin format. Only the group winners will advance to the World Cup.
The United States will face Cuba, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the U.S. Virgin Islands in their group. The competition level within the group is expected to be very low, and anything less than complete dominance would be considered a disappointment.
The roster
Goalkeepers
Jack Kortkamp, Sporting Kansas City (2008), Owen Pratt, LA Galaxy (2008), William Mackay, Real Salt Lake (2008)
There are not any big surprises here. Kortkamp, Pratt and Mackay have consistently been three of the top four keepers selected to this team. I rate Kortkamp and Pratt above Mackay and Kortkamp is my top 2008 keeper. This will likely be a very inconsequential group because the competition is poor and they will likely see little to no action.
Who isn't here?
Aidan Stokes, New York Red Bulls (2008)
Stokes was either not released because of first team preseason or was not ready to be cap-tied while he explores futures with England and Wales.
Full-backs
RB, Juan Gio Villa, Real Salt Lake (2008), LB, Jordan Griffin, Philadelphia Union (2008), LB, Pedro Guimaraes, Orange County (2008)
The full-back group is another position without any major surprises. Villa and Guimaraes are two mainstays and Griffin returns after getting his first look in November.
Who isn't here?
RB, Wesley Okoduwa, Wolves (2008), RB, Oliver Tan, Famalicão (2008), RB, Keehan Barrett-Underwood, Without Club (2008), RB/CB, Victor Vandenbroucke,Gent (2008),
All four of the top remaining options are overseas and there isn’t a single player on this roster from Europe which signals that either U.S. Soccer wanted to have a domestic based team for a domestic tournament or none of the European players were released.
Okoduwa is the top U.S. eligible full-back in this age group, but he has never appeared in a U.S. camp and has only appeared for England, to whom he is not yet cap tied.
Tan finally got his move to Famalicão in Portugal approved.
Barrett-Underwood and Vandenbroucke got their first U.S. call-ups in the November camp.
Center-backs
Ramiz Hamouda, Birmingham Legion (2008), Christopher Cupps, Chicago Fire (2008), Enrique Martinez, LA Galaxy (2008),
Alternate: Micah Harris, Houston Dynamo (2008)Cupps and Martinez are not surprises at all, both have been consistently called into camps recently.
Hamouda is a pleasant surprise and one of the highest upside players on this team. He is one of my
top 50 prospects and has a unique profile. He is around 6-3, left-footed, mobile and can be influential on the ball.
The surprise name in this group is Micah Harris. Harris is another left-footed center-back who grew 4-5 inches recently. He is now around 6-3 which makes him an intriguing left-footed center-back.
Who isn't here?
Ian James, Sporting Kansas City (2008), Adrian Sanders, LAFC (2008)
James and Sanders are two of the top four center-backs from this age group by my estimation. James is another top 50 prospect and Sanders is a top 20 2008. I believe James turned down the selection to focus on first team preseason. He just signed as a homegrown with Sporting KC.
I am not sure if Sanders turned down the selection or was not selected.
Defensive/Center-mids
DM/CM, Jude Terry, LAFC (2008), CM, Cristiano Oliveira, New England Revolution (2008), CM, Cooper Sanchez, Atlanta United (2008), CM, Luca Moisa, Real Salt Lake (2008)
Alternate: DM, Chase Nagle, Chicago Fire (2008)Terry is my
top overall 2008 and my top rated player on the team. I had heard differing opinions on whether he would be released. It’s a big win for the team to get him. He will likely play as a 6 even though I think he is most influential as an 8.
This is Nagle’s first ever USYNT selection. He has been one of the most improved players in the 2008 class this season and he gets rewarded for his efforts.
Oliveira is another
top 50 prospect and a big talent. He has a ton of versatility with the ability to play any role in the midfield that you want.
Sanchez and Moisa round out the 6/8 group and have been consistent call ups to this team.
Who isn't here?
DM, Isaiah Kaakoush, FC Dallas (2008), DM, Adri Mehmeti, New York Red Bulls (2009), CM/AM, Leo Gitau, Houston Dynamo (2008), CM, KK Spivey, San Jose Earthquakes (2009)
Nagle beats out Kaakoush for the backup 6 job. Mehmeti and Spivey are two 2009 players that would provide upgrades in midfield, but it seems that U.S. Soccer is trying to have less players play up.
Gitau is one of the few players that I think got snubbed. He can play as an 8, 10 or winger and I think he provides a higher upside than some of the other players selected.
Attacking-mids/Wingers
AM, Maximo Carrizo, NYCFC (2008), AM, Kellen LeBlanc, Philadelphia Union (2008), (2008), AM, Axel Uriostegui, Real Salt Lake (2008), WING, Jamir Johnson, Philadelphia Union (2008), WING, Lorenzo Cornelius, St. Louis City (2008), WING, Chance Cowell, San Jose Earthquakes (2008)
Alternate: AM, Antonio Riquelme, Real Salt Lake
Carrizo is my second highest rated prospect on this team and another big get. He has been back and forth on prioritizing USYNT camps, but commits to this camp where he will be provisionally cap-tied. I would expect that a lot of the offense will run through him.
LeBlanc has not been in a USYNT camp in a long time. He can play as a 10 or 8 and will provide flexibility in the midfield.
Riquelme is the second player on this team getting his first USYNT camp. He wouldn’t have been a selection for me, but I am excited for him to get this opportunity.
Uriostegui has been in and out of this team for years. He is not a top prospect by my estimation but U.S. Soccer seems to see something.
The winger group has a lot of familiar names in Johnson, Cornelius and Cowell. Johnson and Cornelius are top 20 2008 prospects and Cowell provides verticality and work rate.
Who isn't here?
AM, Jack Mize, Borussia Dortmund (2008), AM, Cavan Sullivan, Philadelphia Union (2009), AM/RW, Gustavo Caraballo Delgado, Orlando City (2008), WING, Nimfasha Berchimas, Charlotte FC (2008), WING, Julian Hall, New York Red Bulls (2008), WING, Vitaliy Hlyut, Chicago Fire (2008), WING, Mathis Albert, Borussia Dortmund (2009)
There are four big attacking talents not on the roster that are prioritizing club football. That includes Sullivan, Berchimas, Hall and Albert.
Mize is just getting back from injury.
Caraballo-Delgado is having a very good season for Orlando City in MLS Next, but it’s possible he isn’t eligible. That was the case a few years back and that may not be resolved yet.
Hlyut turned down the call up to keep his options with Ukraine open.
Center-forwards
Chase Adams, Columbus Crew (2008), Tanner Rosborough, New York Red Bulls (2008)
Adams has been the number one striker for a while and retains that job. Rosborough provides flexibility to play as a nine and a winger.
Who isn't here?
Austyn Jones, PSV (2008)
Jones joined his first USYNT camp in November, but was not brought in for this camp. I can confirm that Jones did not turn down a call-up.
Roster grade: B+
I think that Segares and his staff did a pretty good job considering the amount of top players that were not available to him. Cavan Sullivan, Mathis Albert, Nimfasha Berchimas, Julian Hall and Ian James are all
top 50 prospects that were not able to join.
There are four
top 50 players on the roster, including: Jude Terry (#8), Maximo Carrizo (#20), Cristiano Oliveira (#37) and Ramiz Hamouda (#39).
Ten of my
top 2008 players are on the roster, including: Jude Terry (#1), Maximo Carrizo (#4), Cristiano Oliveira (#7), Ramiz Hamouda (#9), Christopher Cupps (#11), Gio Villa (#15), Jamir Johnson (#16), Lorenzo Cornelius (#17), Cooper Sanchez (#18) and Chase Adams (#19).
Two players get their first ever USYNT call-ups: Chase Nagle and Antonio Riquelme.
I believe Lio Gitau would have been an improvement over some of the other 8/10 options. I also would have brought Dani Nunez from Portland Timbers over a couple of the Real Salt Lake guys. If Gustavo Caraballo Delgado is eligible, he also should be here. Outside of these names, I don’t see a ton to complain about.
This team should have no issue running through the three teams they play to qualify for the World Cup.
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