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<p class="has-medium-font-size">The final United States U17 Youth National Team is comprised of 19 players born in 2006 and one player born in 2007, Ezekiel Soto from Houston Dynamo's Academy. Additionally, one of the three alternates being a 2007 born player in [player_tooltip player_id='56799' first='Santiago' last='Morales'] of Inter Miami's Academy. While there isn't a lot of representation from the 2007 class on this roster, I think there are players that if available or selected, would have been deserving of the honor. Here are my top five players from the 2007 class that are not on the roster:</p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size">CB, Tyler Meiser, Borussia Dortmund Academy</p>
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<p>Meiser not being on this roster is not a surprise at all. It would have in fact been shocking for him to be on it, but I felt compelled to add him to this list because he is a top notch center-back prospect and he does have U.S. eligibility. He captains Germany's U16 team and might get a call for their U17 Euro team — he is really good. He is athletic, instinctual, fantastic in duels and good on the ball. Meiser is not a player that has confirmed interest for the United States and he may be a player that never suits up for the red, white and blue, but he is a player with paying attention to in case the opportunity to bring him in presents itself. </p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size">LB, [player_tooltip player_id='13498' first='Christian' last='McFarlane'], NYCFC</p>
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<p>McFarlane was by the far the player I was most disappointed to not see on the roster. I was disappointed because he is a great player, at a position of need and the United States is in a dual-national battle with England. While not confirmed, it sounds like McFarlane picked up an injury in the last United States U17 camp and NYCFC wanted to be cautious, so it's unclear if he would have accepted if an invite was given. He's been with both the United States and England over the last few months, so the battle does appear to be on. McFarlane is a very smooth and skilled left-footed player that does his best work in combination with other players. He could probably play almost every position on the field because he has such a well rounded physical and technical profile. </p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size">AM, [player_tooltip player_id='9658' first='Axel' last='Perez'], Lyon Academy</p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='9658' first='Axel' last='Perez'] plays within the Lyon Academy at the U16 level and is their top goal-scorer. Before moving to Lyon he played for MLS Next Academies Weston and Inter Miami. According to a source, Perez was reportedly invited, but not released for this tournament because it is not an official Fifa window. This has been a theme since he has been at Lyon unfortunately. Perez is an undersized, but highly skilled, creative and audacious player that is capable of magic on the field. </p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size">CF, [player_tooltip player_id='12613' first='Caden' last='Glover'], St Louis City</p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='12613' first='Caden' last='Glover'] has been, in my opinion, the best striker in MLS Next at the U17 level this year. His creativity, decision making and execution in the final third have all taken huge steps forward this year and with that development he has been rewarded as St Louis City's first ever homegrown signing. Glover has great size, passable mobility and a great touch and vision. I think he would have fit well with the U17 team and he could have provided skill that would have combined well with other attacking players on the roster.</p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size">CF, [player_tooltip player_id='59855' first='Justin' last='Ellis'], Without Club</p>
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<p>[player_tooltip player_id='59855' first='Justin' last='Ellis'] is another center-forward from this age group I am really high on. He's not quite as big as Glover, but he has all of the skills Glover has with incredibly soft feet and touch. He combines very well with teammates and does a great job in hold up play. He needs to be a little more dangerous and dynamic in the final third, but I think that will eventually come. Ellis recently left the Inter Miami Academy and his decision on a new Academy should be announced fairly soon. Whatever academy brings him in will be adding a very high end striker to their youth system.</p>
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The final United States U17 Youth National Team is comprised of 19 players born in 2006 and one player born in 2007, Ezekiel Soto from Houston Dynamo's Academy. Additionally, one of the three alternates being a 2007 born player in Santiago MoralesSantiagoMorales
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of Inter Miami's Academy. While there isn't a lot of representation from the 2007 class on this roster, I think there are players that if available or selected, would have been deserving of the honor. Here are my top five players from the 2007 class that are not on the roster:
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of Inter Miami's Academy. While there isn't a lot of representation from the 2007 class on this roster, I think there are players that if available or selected, would have been deserving of the honor. Here are my top five players from the 2007 class that are not on the roster:
