The U-20 MNT capped its qualifying run at the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship with five-straight wins. After opening the tournament with a 1-0 loss against Panama, the team went on to defeat Haiti and St. Kitts and Nevis by matching 4-1 score lines, earning first place in Group B and advancement to the Classification Stage. There, the U-20 MNT used a 29^th minute header from Erik-Palmer Brown to earn a 1-0 victory against rivals Mexico, breaking El Trí’s 20-match unbeaten streak at the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. Ramos’ side followed up that victory with a 2-1 win against El Salvador to punch its ticket to Korea Republic and also advance to the tournament Final against Honduras.

Having played to a 0-0 draw, the U.S. was perfect in converting its penalty kicks, defeating Los Catrachos 5-3 in the shootout to clinch its first regional crown at U-20 level. Following the match, goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann, defenders Marlon Fossey and Justen Glad, midfielder Erik Palmer-Brown and forward Brooks Lennon earned Best XI honors, with Palmer-Brown and Klinsmann receiving the Golden Ball and Golden Glove awards, respectively. Fifteen players that were part of the U-20 MNT’s successful qualifying run are part of the final World Cup roster.

In April, Ramos brought the U-20 player pool together one more time for an international training camp in London, England to continue World Cup preparations and evaluate new players, including World Cup choice Lagos Kunga.

The U-20 World Cup showcases some of the world’s best young talent. The USA’s roster at the last FIFA World Cup in 2014 featured nine players that had previously played in a U-20 World Cup: Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Brad Davis, Clint Dempsey, Mix Diskerud, Tim Howard, Nick Rimando and DeAndre Yedlin.

The USA’s best finish at the U-20 World Cup came in Saudi Arabia in 1989, where a team backstopped by future MNT goalkeeper Kasey Keller finished fourth. Most recently under Ramos in 2015, the USA advanced from its group and defeated Colombia 1-0 in the Round of 16 before falling to eventual champions Serbia 6-5 on penalty kicks in the Quarterfinal.

Development Academy Ties:

• Seventeen players have ties to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
• Defender Erik Palmer-Brown spent four seasons in the Development Academy for Sporting Kansas City Academy before signing with the first team in 2013.
• Forwards Josh Sargent (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri) and Lagos Kunga (Atlanta United FC Academy), and goalkeeper Brady Scott (De Anza Force) are currently attached to Development Academy teams.
• Forward Jeremy Ebobisse was named U-15/16 Academy Player of the Year during the 2013-2014 Development Academy season while playing for Bethesda-Olney, leading the nation in goals with 29.
• Two players have Conference Player of the Year honors: Sebastian Saucedo (West, 2014) and Eryk Williamson (East, 2015).
• Six players have been named to Development Academy Conference Starting XI’s: Danny Acosta (West, 2015), Justen Glad (West, 2013 and 2014), J.T. Marcinkowski (West, 2015), Emmanuel Sabbi (Central, 2015 and 2016), Jeremy  Ebobisse (East, 2014) and Saucedo (West, 2014).
• In 2013, Real Salt Lake teammates Justen Glad, Sebastian Saucedo and Brooks Lennon won the U-15/16 Development Academy national title.

Roster Notes:

• Fifteen of the 21 players were part of the team that qualified for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup and won the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in March.
• The roster includes three members of the USA’s 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup team: defenders Erik Palmer-Brown and Cameron Carter-Vickers, and midfielder Gedion Zelalem. The trio takes the number of U.S. players to appear on two FIFA U-20 World Cup rosters to 12 all-time: Kellyn Acosta, Freddy Adu, Bryan Arguez, Bobby Convey, Kasey Keller, Brian Perk, Zack Steffen, Nathan Sturgis and Danny Szetela.
• Danny Acosta, Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo are all teammates with M.L.S. club Real Salt Lake, while the club also holds the Homegrown rights to midfielder Aaron Herrera.
• Marlon Fossey and Luca de la Torre are teammates with English club Fulham FC.  
• Including the four Real Salt Lake teammates, nine players on the USA roster represent clubs in Major League Soccer: defenders Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City) and Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC), midfielders Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls) and Derrick Jones (Philadelphia Union), and forward Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers).
• Of the 12 non-M.L.S. players, four come from European clubs, four are playing at the collegiate level in the United States, three represent U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs, and one player is unattached.
• Born in February of 2000, 17-year-old forward Josh Sargent is the youngest player on the roster. The St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri striker joins the roster having just captained the U.S. at the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, where they successfully qualified for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup to be played in India this October.
• Sargent can become the first player since Freddy Adu to compete for the United States in both the U-20 and U-17 FIFA World Cup during the same year.
• Having previously been capped by Ghana at youth national team level, midfielder Derrick Jones has been cleared by FIFA to represent the U.S.
• Eryk Williamson scored the second goal of the U.S.’s 2-1 victory against El Salvador in the CONCACAF Championship Classification Stage match that clinched the team’s spot in the World Cup. The goal also came in at No. 5 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays for March 3.
• Carter-Vickers and Zelalem have been called to the U-20 MNT for the first time since 2015.
• Carter-Vickers was last part of a U.S. camp when he was summoned for the MNT’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches against Mexico and Costa Rica in November 2016.
• Tab Ramos becomes the second coach to lead a U-20 team in three World Cups (2013, 2015, 2017), following Thomas Rongen (2003, 2007, 2009).