THE UNITED STATES U-20 national team just completed a camp where the team posted two impressive wins over South Korea and France. As to expected with results like that, many of the team’s players performed well. This includes the youngest player on the roster, Peyton Miller, who scored in the team’s 3-0 win over South Korea.

The camp took place in Marbella, Spain and it opened just two days after his 17th birthday, and it was his second time involved with the team after making the roster for the October camp. A versatile player who can play either left back or left wing, Miller always seemed likely to play with the U.S. U-20 team the following cycle as he is eligible for the 2027 U-20 World Cup.

“It's a good start,” Miller said. “I think that we have a solid group of players and we're all learning how each other play and stuff like that. It'll be a really good group.”

But this season, Miller broke into the first team at the New England Revolution and managed to earn substantial playing time as a 16-year-old. Even with an injury that forced him to miss an extended period, Miller still managed to earn 10 appearances and eight starts in MLS in addition to three starts in the Leagues Cup.

U.S. U-20 head coach Marko Mitrovic recently said he “was not pleased” with the lack of first team playing time the players in his pool are getting either in MLS or in Europe. But Miller already bucked the trend while playing up a cycle.

“Peyton is someone that is the youngest player on our team,” Mitrovic said of Miller. “With Ruben Ramos Jr. , they were the only players born in 2007.  I'm actually pleased with his development. I remember watching him for the first time against Orlando's second team two years ago in a friendly game and then where he is right now and then just he's seeing his progression watching him with our U-17's. He is making great steps with the first team. I spoke with the people from New England also about him. It was great to work with Peyton in person and to learn more about him.”

Peyton Miller showing off his strength and speed in today’s US U-20 game.

The US beat France 2-1. #NERevs pic.twitter.com/I8lGeTfHA3

— Seth (@SethMan31) November 18, 2024

Next season, however, expectations will be heightened for both Miller and the Revolution who will be in their second season under Caleb Porter as coach. The club struggled for most of the season and finished in 14^th place. For Miller, the test will be building off what he learned in 2024 to continue to develop and help his club.

“It was honestly a great year, a great learning experience,” Miller said of his season with New England. “There were a lot of ups and downs throughout the year because of my injuries and stuff like that, taking away serious time from the season. But I think that I learned from it and I just I'm glad that I got that amount of time because it helped me a lot to get better as a pro and learning what it really meant to be a true pro.”

“The injuries were super hard mentally because I've never been injury before,” he added. “It took a big toll on me. But I learned I can get through them. I have the support from the staff and the coaches and my teammates to get through the injuries. It helps a lot. I just have to keep my head up at all times…. I just think it's a consistency thing. I have a great game and then I have a good game. I want to have all great games. It's just consistency.”

First @MLS start ?
First @MLS assist ?

Have a night Peyton Miller!! ???????????? pic.twitter.com/RLBjtY7EW8

— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) July 21, 2024

Helping to lead the New England’s turnaround is a personal matter for Miller as he grew up in nearby Unionville, Connecticut and was a season member of the club where he would regularly attend games and draw inspiration from many of the team’s most successful players.

“I was a season member, so I would go to the games a lot, especially remember watching like Diego Fagundez, a lot,” Miller said. “He was my favorite player growing up. I wanted to be just like him. I remember Chris Tierney and watching him - Jermaine Jones, all those players.”

In 2025, Miller’s priority will also be his push to make the U-20 World Cup as potentially the youngest player on the team. If he manages to make the team, it will be his second World Cup after he featured in the 2023 U-17 World Cup that advanced to knockout rounds before being eliminated by Germany. In that tournament, Miller appeared in all four games.

“It was very important to me,” Miller said of the U-17 World Cup last year. “Not a lot of people get to say that they've played in a World Cup. For the players, especially me, it's a dream to play in a World Cup. I think a lot of people get to say they do that. It's important for your development because like it gives you a confidence boost that you need.”

Going from the U-17 national team into the U-20 team inside of a year is a big jump but Miller has performed well in two successful camps to build momentum heading into 2025. Next up will likely be a January camp for domestic-based players followed by camps in March and then the summer.

Even with the pressures of New England, this will be a huge priority for Miller to make this U-20 roster despite being eligible for the following edition.

“I think it'll be a great opportunity to potentially be on the U-20 World Cup roster,” Miller said. “U-20 World Cup is one of the most important World Cups because it's U-20. And for me to be able to be on that squad to be able to play in another World Cup. I'm just working towards that and focusing on that.”

“I've always thought if you're good enough, you're old enough,” he added.  “I don't really look at age like that. If you can compete, you can compete.”