THE OCTOBER WINDOW was a productive time for the United States youth national teams on the men’s side as both the U-20 and U-19 had camps abroad with mostly positive results in what is now the lead-up to the U-20 World Cup next fall in Chile.

The U-19 team is essentially the younger portion of the U-20 player pool and that team had a camp in Valencia, Spain and posted two impressive wins, the first a 4-1 rout over Sweden followed by a 3-2 win over Japan. Meanwhile, the U-20 team is now under the leadership of head coach Marko Mitrovic who worked with the U-19 team last cycle, and then took the Olympic job last fall. With that tournament over, he has shifted to the U-20 team to return to the player pool he initially coached prior to the Olympics. It was always the plan for him to be in control of this age group for the 2025 U-20 World Cup.

The U-20 team’s camp took place in Santiago, Chile to allow the team to become familiarized with the host country of next summer’s World Cup. The team played Chile twice, the first game was a 3-0 win, and the second game was a 2-1 loss.

Both camps reflected that the player pool is deep, but still on the younger side of a typical U-20 team. Part of the reason is that three of the top players of the 2005-birth year (the leading birth year of the U-20 class) have elected to play for other countries. Over the summer, Obed Vargas left the U.S. set up to play for Mexico. Later, Esmir Bajraktarevic left to play for Bosnia. Last year, Noel Buck began playing for England’s U-19 team and Tyler Bindon opted for New Zealand. All four players would be starters for this current U-20 team. 

It was a late start to the cycle, which began in March and through this summer’s World Cup qualifying, but the core group of the U-20 team is in focus. Things, however, will continue to change and it is common for a U-20 team to significant movement throughout a cycle. Next spring will be an important time when the MLS season opens and players use preseason to take important roles with their teams to being 2025.

On the flip side, the new timing of the tournament will present problems next year. The 2025 U-20 World Cup is now scheduled to take place from September 27 – October 19, which will cause massive conflicts with both European and MLS seasons. The lone hope is that most of the tournament can be crammed into the October international window.

But based on what happened in the October window, here is the best projected World Cup roster without getting into concept yet of release issues.

Goalkeeper

• 1) Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona)
• 2) Gavin Beavers (Real Salt Lake)
• 3) Adam Beaudry (Colorado Rapids)

In the mix: Julian Eyestone, Duran Ferree, Andrew Rick

Analysis: This is one of the deepest goalkeeping classes ever for a U.S. youth team. It’s very good and there is a good argument that any of the six keepers in the mix would start most U-20 cycles. It will be tough to make cuts and who makes the team will come down to form next year. There is a lot of quality here, which means that there is a lot of opportunity for players to take big steps at any point.

Central defense

• 4) Josh Wynder (Benfica)
• 5) Matai Akinmboni (DC United)
• 6) Noahkai Banks (FC Augsburg)

In the mix: Noah Cobb, Grayson Dettoni, Stuart Hawkins, Neil Pierre, Chibuike Ukaegbu

Analysis: Josh Wynder hasn’t been involved with U.S. Soccer since the 2023 U-20 World Cup and he’s had to work his way through injuries. But he’s the best central defender of this age group. He might opt to focus on his club given the lost time at Benfica due to injuries and also the fact that he’s already played in a U-20 World Cup, but the spot is his if he wants it. Then he can be expected to be on the Olympic team. Matai Akinmboni is also likely choice given his minutes with DC United. Meanwhile, Augsburg’s Noahkai Banks has been impressive with this team.

Three central defenders should be enough given that Nolan Norris can play left back and central defense. Noah Cobb seems like the next man up if one of the three can’t go. Meanwhile, it would be good to see Bayern Munich’s Grayson Dettoni get a look in one of the two remaining camps in a FIFA window. Until he plays with the team, it’s tough to have him on the inside of the bubble.

Fullbacks

• 7)  Leo Duru (Blackburn Rovers)
• 8)  Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders)
• 9)  Nolan Norris (FC Dallas)
• 10) Peyton Miller (New England Revolution

In the Mix: Ethan Kohler, Oscar Verhoeven, Aiden Harangi, Luca Bombino, Tahir Reid-Brown, Harbor Miller, Drew Baiera, Owen Presthus

Analysis: Tough cuts will have to be made but the top four seem to be standing out. Leo Duru impressed with the U-20 team in Chile and Reed Baker-Whiting has been a staple of this age group for years, and he continues to play for the Seattle Sounders. On the left side, youngster Peyton Miller is playing up a cycle but who saw significant minutes for the New England Revolution this season. Nolan Norris, meanwhile, has been the team’s captain all year and has been labeled as the heart and “soul of the team.”

There could be changes next year. Harbor Miller had a very good U-19 camp in September and is one of just a few who could push onto the team next year.

Midfielders

• 11)  Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo)
• 12)  Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew)
• 13)  Pedro Soma (FC Barcelona)
• 14)  Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami)
• 15)  Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes)

In the mix: Matthew Corcoran, Sergio Oregel Jr., Cruz Medina Bryan Moyado, Colin Guske, CJ Olney, Ervin Torres, Nathan Worth, David Vazquez, Paulo Rudisill, Darius Lane

Analysis: Based on how things have played out in 2024, Brooklyn Raines, Taha Habroune, and Pedro Somo have taken a nice role within the team. After that, Cremaschi is about as strong of a lock as you can imagine on this team. He has played under Mitrovic with the U-19s, the Olympic team (the only player on the Paris roster to play up a cycle), and now the U-20s. Niko Tsakiris is also likely ahead of the curve based on his experience of being on the last U-20 World Cup team.

The competition remains tight. Sergio Oregel Jr. has played well with this team and the Philly Union duo of CJ Olney and David Vazquez are firmly in the mix.

Forwards/wingers

• 16)  Cole Campbell (Borussia Dortmund)
• 17)  Luke Brennan (Atlanta United)
• 18)  Ruben Ramos, Jr.  (LA Galaxy)
• 19)  Kristian Fletcher (Nottingham Forest)
• 20)  Keyrol Figueroa (Liverpool FC)
• 21)  Marcos Zambrano (Vitória Guimarães)

In the mix: Aidan Dausch, Nimfasha Berchimas, Jykese Fields, Zavier Gozo, Mykhi Joyner, Dino Klapija, Julian Hall, Julian Placias

Analysis: These positions are a little more open 11 months away from the World Cup. Marcos Zambrano hasn’t really impressed at the club level, but he had a strong October camp with two goals in a win over Chile. Keyrol Figueroa was the top forward for the last U-17 cycle and is currently in the youth teams at Liverpool. But his grip on a U-20 spot isn’t as strong as once expected.

There are players who are on the verge of overtaking Zambrano and Figueroa, if they haven’t already. Aidan Dausch is pushing up at Coventry. Jykese Fields and Dino Klapija both scored in wins for the U.S. U-19s over the October window. A World Cup spot is within reach for any of these players.

Cole Campbell is one of the best players on this team, and it comes down to him getting released by Borussia Dortmund. The other attackers, Ruben Ramos Jr., Kristian Fletcher, Luke Brennan are all versatile who can help across the front line.