U18 MNT roster named for California camp

by U.S. Soccer

January 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.), Roberto 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.