U-18 MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM STARTS 2019 WITH 20-PLAYER CAMP IN CARSON, CALIF.
U-20 MNT Head Coach Tab Ramos Calls 20 Players Born in 2001 to Dignity Health Sports Park from Feb. 1-7
CHICAGO (Jan. 30, 2019)—The U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team will gather for its first training camp of the year at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. from Feb. 1-7. U-20 MNT head coach Tab Ramos will direct the camp and has called in 20 players, all born in 2001.
All 20 players are age-eligible for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The training camp presents a prime opportunity for the U-18 players to impress Ramos as he prepares a roster for this summer’s tournament in Poland.
U-18 MNT Roster by Position (Club; Hometown)
GOALKEEPERS (2):David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; Oxnard, Calif.), Patrick Schulte (Saint Louis FC; Saint Charles, Mo.)
DEFENDERS (6): Julian Hinojosa Jr. (FC Dallas; Garland, Texas), Kai Lammers (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Erwin Martinez (Real Salt Lake; Gilbert, Ariz.), David Mendoza (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), Christian Ortiz (Barca Academy AZ; Yuma, Ariz.), Leonardo Sepulveda (LA Galaxy; Corona, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids; Littleton, Colo.), Ethan Bryant (San Antonio FC; San Antonio, Texas), Oscar Cervantes Jr. (LA Galaxy; Indio, Calif.), Emmanuel Haro (Club Tijuana/MEX; San Diego, Calif.), Armando Munoz-Zarate (Colorado Rapids; Albuquerque, N.M.), Matteo Ritaccio (Liverpool FC/ENG; Westbury, N.Y.)
FORWARDS (6): Alec Diaz (Seattle Sounders FC II; Issaquah, Wash.), Bryce Duke (Real Salt Lake; Phoenix, Ariz.), Hunter George (Sacramento Republic FC; Lincoln, Calif.), Cameron Harper (Celtic FC/SCO; Roseville, Calif.) Nicholas Hategan (Sacramento Republic FC; Chicago, Ill.), Marlon Vargas (Seattle Sounders II; Renton, Wash.)
U-18 MNT Roster Notes
- Players born on or after Jan. 1, 1999 are eligible for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. All players on this roster are eligible for this summer’s tournament, as well as the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which has an age cut-off date of Jan. 1, 2001.
- Nineteen of 20 players have spent at least one season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, while 15 have logged minutes in the Academy’s 2018-19 season.
- Diaz and Vargas took home the 2017-18 U-16/17 Academy Championship with Seattle Sounders FC
- Two players are signed to MLS Homegrown contracts: midfielder Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids) and goalkeeper David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake).
- Ochoa helped the U-20 MNT to the Concacaf U-20 Championship last Nov., keeping clean sheets in his two starts at the tournament.
- Seven players have already made their professional debuts in MLS or USL, and eight players are currently signed to MLS or USL contracts.
- Eleven players receive their first call to the U-18 MNT this cycle: goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, defenders Kai Lammers and David Ortiz, midfielders Bassett, Ethan Bryant, Emmanuel Haro, Armando Munoz-Zarate, Matteo Ritaccio and forwards Alec Diaz, Bryce Duke and Marlon Vargas.
- Seventeen players compete for 11 domestic-based clubs, led by three from Real Salt Lake and two each from the Colorado Rapids, LA Galaxy, Sacramento Republic FC and Seattle Sounders FC.
- Three players are on the books for foreign-based clubs in England, Mexico and Scotland.
