Who Are The Top Players On The United States U17 Roster?
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The Concacaf U17 Championship starts on February 11th and will take place in Guatemala. This tournament serves as a qualifier for the U17 World Cup that will take place in Peru later this year. The top four teams from this…
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Continue ReadingThe Concacaf U17 Championship starts on February 11th and will take place in Guatemala. This tournament serves as a qualifier for the U17 World Cup that will take place in Peru later this year. The top four teams from this tournament will qualify to the World Cup. The United States team is a very strong group and is widely considered one of the most talented, if not that most talented team in the tournament.
U.S. Soccer released the official roster for the tournament on Friday. Check out how I rank the players below. United States Youth National Teams have become very competitive, so all the players on this list are very good players — every player is a top prospect for that position.
#1 GK, Diego Kochen, Barcelona Academy (Spain)
The U.S. team should be very difficult to score on and that starts with Diego Kochen. Kochen plays within the infamous La Masia Academy in Barcelona and is already getting Barcelona B squad appearances — two levels above his age group . Kochen might be the most talented U.S. goalkeeper product we have ever had. He is a little undersized at around 6-2, but his balance, reflexes, explosiveness and instincts make up for a slight lack of length. He’s equally special on the ball and will enable this team to build from the back. He is very good at dribbling out of sticky situations and can distribute accurately to all areas of the field.
#2 RB/LB, Oscar Verhoeven Oscar Verhoeven D State CA , San Jose Earthquakes Academy
Oscar Verhoeven Oscar Verhoeven D State CA has been one of the most improved players in MLS Next this season and he was already very good. He has carried the San Jose U17s at times this year. This roster is without a true left-footed fullback, so I expect Verhoeven will spend a lot of time at LB, which he has done before with San Jose and the United States. Verhoeven is a dynamic player. He is highly creative on the ball. He moves the ball quickly with dribbles and one touch passing. His service into the box from wide areas has improved as well. And he is not just an offensive fullback, he’s a very responsible defender that covers the weak side with great anticipation and discipline. The area of his game that has really improved this year is his decision making. He is turning the ball over less and taking less unnecessary risks.
#3 DM, Pedro Soma, UC Cornella Academy (Spain)
Pedro “Pedrinho” Soma has long been one of my favorite players in this age group. Soma is the most complete defensive-midfield prospect in the U.S. youth pool in my opinion. He is very smooth on the ball and can progress the attack with tidy dribbling and an array of passes. Defensively he is also very strong. He has good range and has a strong frame. He consistently breaks up transitional attacks because his instincts in identifying danger are quite good. He is also capable of drilling a shot from distance if the opportunity presents itself.
#4 AM, Cruz Medina Cruz Medina M State CA , San Jose Earthquakes
Cruz Medina Cruz Medina M State CA is one of two players on the roster that is on a first team MLS contract and he may get some MLS minutes this season. Medina is one of the most well known prospects on the roster. Medina is a dynamic and creative attacking-mid that can also play as a box-to-box midfielder and winger. His dribbling ability is very advanced and extremely fun to watch. He has the unique ability to eliminate defenders and create numerical advantages in the final third. His decision making still needs some work, but he should be a joy to watch in this tournament.
#5 CM, Adrian Gill, Barcelona Academy (Spain)
Yes, you read that accurately, there are two players on this squad from La Masia. Like most Barcelona products, Gill is a very intelligent and technical player that makes few mistakes on the field. He isn’t the biggest guy, but he wins through his high soccer IQ and toughness. His positional flexibility will be very valuable to this team. He can play both fullback positions and all levels of the midfield.
#6 AM/WING, Christopher Aquino, Tacoma Defiance (Seattle Sounders)
Aquino has been the best player at the U17 level of MLS Next for my money. He seems to be on the scoresheet every game. Some might remember him from last year’s Generation Adidas Cup where he helped lead Seattle to the U17 Championship. Aquino is an attacking-mid / winger type with an explosive left-foot. He is a threat to hit from distance and consistently puts well struck, accurate balls on frame. He isn’t the quickest player, but his efficient footwork and ball control helps make up for that.
#7 AM, Taha Habroune, Columbus Crew Academy
Habroune is an ascending player and someone that the Columbus Crew absolutely love. It was reported that he was a standout in the January camp which was his first U.S. call-up. He has played the majority of the MLS Next season up a level with the U19 team. Habroune is a super composed player that wastes little time on the ball through technical and intelligent touches. He is also very calm and incisive in the final third for his age. He is another player that does not have the most dynamic physical profile, but makes up for it with skill and smarts.
#8 DM, Edwyn Mendoza Edwyn Mendoza M State CA , San Jose Earthquakes Academy
Add Edwyn Mendoza Edwyn Mendoza M State CA to the list of players that I have seen the biggest growth in this season. Mendoza is primarily a defensive-midfielder, but can also play as an eight because he has good ball control and passing ability. He has pretty defensive good range and great toughness. He has no problem getting stuck in with bigger and stronger players and that mentality will be important for this group.
#9 RB/DM, Aiden Harangi, Eintracht Frankfurt Academy (Germany)
Harangi is a coaches son and you can see that very clearly on the field. Similar to Adrian Gill, Harangi can play all over the midfield and both fullback positions, providing flexibility for the group. He is another player that’s a little undersized, but he’s very tidy on the ball and he has great instincts and field vision. His eyes and feet are in sync too, he is able to deliver accurate passes all over the field.
#10 RCB, Christian Diaz Christian Diaz D State #23 Nation CA , LAFC Academy
Diaz is my highest graded center-back on the team. He is right-footed but plays left center-back for LAFC U17s. He has good height and like most young center-backs is a little thin as his body is still developing, but he is still pretty tough. Of all of the center-backs on the roster, I think he is the best on the ball, both in taking smart little touches to avoid pressure and in deliver line breaking passes down the field to open up transition moments.
#11 CM/AM, Paolo Rudisill, LA Galaxy Academy
Rudisill is a player that brings something slightly unique to this roster. His physical profile is average to above average, but what I love about his game is his ability to identify opportunities to make dangerous runs in the final third. He knows how to find the ball and get into spaces that create danger for the opponent, and I think that skill will be very valuable in this tournament.
#12 AM/WING, Micah Burton Micah Burton M State TX , Austin FC Academy
Burton is yet another player that wins with his supreme soccer intelligence. He’ll likely spend most of his time on the wing for this group, but he can also play centrally and as a false-nine. He excels in keeping the ball moving and keeping the defense off balance. His passing ability is also very strong and he should have a lot of success inverting and slipping players in on goal. The biggest knock no Burton is that he is quite undersized and can get bullied off of the ball at times.
#13 WING/AM, Brian Romero, Charlotte FC
Romero is the other player on this team that is on a first team MLS contract as he is the first homegrown player in Charlotte FC’s history. Romero usually plays as a right-winger for this team and can also tuck inside and play as a ten. Romero is very smooth and excels in combination with other players. He also has a great ability to deliver good crosses from wide areas.
#14 RCB, Stuart Hawkins, Tacoma Defiance (Seattle Sounders)
Hawkins’ strongest trait is his reliability and consistency and for that I can completely understand why he’s been a lock pick for head coach Gonzalo Sagures. He is another right-footed player with experience playing on the left-side. Hawkins does the most important thing for a center-back, he makes few egregious mistakes. He is a solid player across the board from his physical profile, to his ability on the ball and his tactical awareness.
#15 CF, Keyrol Figueroa, Liverpool Academy (England)
Figueroa is the son of a legendary Honduran center-back, Maynor Figueroa. Figueroa is one of the few 2006 born players in the Liverpool that plays for Liverpool’s U18 team. Figueroa probably has the most impressive physical profile of any player on the roster. He is big, strong and explosives and he has no problem throwing his frame. He is going to be a load for other teams to handle. His hold up and connection play still need development. I am interested to see how he does in some of the more technical aspects of the center-forward position in this tournament.
#16 CF, Zeke Soto, Houston Dynamo Academy
Soto is the second 2007 born player on the roster. Soto has a very well rounded center-forward profile. He has good size and decent strength, he is mobile, comfortable on the ball and has pretty good striker instincts. His ceiling is encouraging and while he might be a little behind some of the other 2007 center-forwards right now, his ceiling might be higher than most. This is probably why he has been a consistent selection for this team.
#17 CB, Tyler Hall, Inter Miami Academy
Tyler Hall will likely be the captain of this team. Hall is an undersized center-back, but he’s strong, agile and tough. Hall clearly has great intangibles. He seems to captain every team he is on and earned Inter Miami II minutes as a center-back last season, which indicates how smart and how trusted he is by the Inter Miami organization.
#18 AM/WING, David Vazquez, Philadelphia Union Academy
Vazquez is a player I need to see a little more of, but he’s been growing on me. His game is a little subtle, but as you watch him you can tell he has a high intelligence and nuanced technical ability. He moves well off the ball and can provide smart and precise passes in the final third.
#19 GK, Adam Beaudry, Colorado Rapids Academy
Beaudry is a little bit of a late bloomer that is developing at a really nice rate. Once undersized, he looks like he is now around 6-1 or 6-2, still a little undersized for a modern day goalkeeper, but like Kochen, he plays with very good balance, reflexes and explosiveness out of his stance. He also has advanced ball control and distribution and will be a great second option for this team.
#20 RB/LB, Sawyer Jura, Portland Timbers Academy
Jura is a right-footer player that will likely see most of his time at left-back, which he also does for Portland. Jura has a great feel for the game and great feel for space, finding it with his touch and playing his teammates into it. He’s a responsible and smart player that will provide good depth to the squad.
The United States first game will be on February 11th against Barbados. I believe games will be broadcasted across Fox, Vix and YouTube.