The annual International Friendlies for US youth national teams are set for this week in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., and various age groups have called in eight Homegrown Players from MLS clubs for a four-team tournament that includes the Netherlands and Turkey.
The US U-17 national team features three MLS Homegrowns, all of whom are 2002-birth year players and didn’t represent the country at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil. As for the US U-16 national team, it has five MLS youngsters around a 2003 birth-year cutoff.
The U-17 midfield includes Gilbert Fuentes of the San Jose Earthquakes, who has made two substitute appearances for the first team across the last two seasons. The other midfielder is Damian Rivera, who recently signed with the New England Revolution after impressing with their U-19 Development Academy squad. Up top, the Philadelphia Union are represented by Jack de Vries, who signed a professional deal this past August.
On the U-16s, the MLS connections start with Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, who penned a first-team deal in March as a 15-year-old. The backline includes recently-signed San Jose defender Casey Walls, and the midfield has D.C. United prospect Moses Nyeman, who has featured extensively for Loudoun United FC, their USL Championship club. Then up top, forwards Tyler Freeman (Sporting Kansas City) and Dante Sealy (FC Dallas) have already signed Homegrown deals.
For the 20-man U-17 roster, nine players currently play for an MLS club at the youth or professional level. As for the 20-man U-16 roster, that figure jumps up to 19 players.
All the matches at the event will be streamed on ussoccer.com and the following US Soccer social media accounts: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
The full schedule can be found below, followed by the rosters for both USYNT teams:
Thursday, Nov. 14
- Netherlands vs. U-16 BNT, 3:30 pm ET
- Turkey vs. U-17 MNT, 6:30 pm ET
Saturday, Nov. 16
- Netherlands vs. Turkey, 3:30 pm ET
- U-16 BNT vs. U-17 MNT, 6:30 pm ET
Monday, Nov. 18
- U-16 BNT vs. Turkey, 3:30 pm ET
- U-17 MNT vs. Netherlands, 6:30 pm ET
US U-17 roster
Position |
Name |
Club |
|---|---|---|
GK |
Ethan Wady |
Chelsea |
GK |
Seth Wilson |
FC Dallas |
D |
Axel Alejandre |
FC United |
D |
Antino Lopez |
Seattle Sounders |
D |
Bryson Hankins |
Seattle Sounders |
D |
Joshua Ramsey |
Solar SC |
D |
John Tolkin |
New York Red Bulls |
D |
Jonathan Tomkinson |
Norwich City |
D |
Rickson van Hees |
NEC Nijmegen |
M |
Jacob Davis |
Sporting Kansas City |
M |
Gilbert Fuentes |
San Jose Earthquakes |
M |
Damian Rivera |
New England Revolution |
M |
Pablo Soares |
Bourssia Monchengladbach |
F |
Sagir David Arce |
Monarcas Morelia |
F |
Jack de Vries |
Philadelphia Union |
F |
Jack Imperato |
CD Roda |
F |
Noah Jones |
RB Leipzig |
F |
Tucker Lepley |
Sporting Kansas City |
F |
Joshua Pynadath |
Ajax |
F |
Bailey Sparks |
Solar SC |
US U-16 roster
Position |
Name |
Club |
|---|---|---|
GK |
Anthony Ramos |
LA Galaxy |
GK |
Gabriel Slonina |
Chicago Fire |
D |
Mauricio Cuevas |
LA Galaxy |
D |
Jonathan Gomez |
FC Dallas |
D |
Noah Hall |
Columbus Crew SC |
D |
Dante Huckaby |
Philadelphia Union |
D |
Eric Kinzner |
Seattle Sounders |
D |
Jalen Neal |
LA Galaxy |
D |
Casey Walls |
San Jose Earthquakes |
M |
Javier Casas |
Chicago Fire |
M |
Daniel Edelman |
Players Development Academy |
M |
Sota Kitahara |
Seattle Sounders |
M |
Jack McGlynn |
Philadelphia Union |
M |
Moses Nyeman |
D.C. United |
F |
Patrick Bohui |
Philadelphia Union |
F |
Tyler Freeman |
Sporting Kansas City |
F |
Alex Monis |
Chicago Fire |
F |
Kevin Paredes |
D.C. United |
F |
Samuel Sarver |
Columbus Crew SC |
F |
Dante Sealy |
FC Dallas |
