U15 USYNT May Roster Analysis

CM/CF/WING, Da'vian Kimbrough (Sacramento Republic)
Mexico is making an unprecedented push to secure Kimbrough’s commitment by consistently playing him up an age group—rumors even suggest they may take it a step further. Unless he truly has the United States in his heart, this looks like a battle that will be very difficult to win, at least for now.

AM, Will Recupero (vBf Stuttgart)
It’s wild to think that Recupero, one of just two 2010-born players to play up with the U-15s last year, still hasn’t appeared with the team this year. He was injured just before the GA Cup, where he was expected to feature with Stuttgart’s U-16s, but I’m not sure if he’s still recovering. This group hasn’t played in Europe yet, so we don’t know who U.S. Soccer wants to evaluate from its European pool.

AM, Kamil Castillo (D.C. United)
While Castillo is currently cap-tied to the Dominican Republic, I believe he’s open to a one-time switch. Perhaps U.S. Soccer is hesitant to push that decision on him so young? This age group has depth, but Castillo’s talent is undeniable—he would definitely improve the squad.

GK, Connor Dale (Inter Miami)
Dale has consistently been one of the top two goalkeepers for this age group, but unfortunately, he’s currently out with an injury.

CM, Ezra Mahtame (San Jose Earthquakes)
It’s hard to imagine an unbiased scout watching Mahtame and not seeing a significantly higher ceiling than many of the midfielders who routinely get selected.

CM, Abdoulaye Diop (Philadelphia Union)
The same goes for Diop. His combination of size and skill is incredibly unique. How has he not gotten a single look?

DM, David Ilevbare (Atlanta United)
Tchoumba is potentially the top prospect in this class, but Ilevbare is also a very talented and unique number six profile. He is absolutely deserving of an opportunity with the national team.

AM, Matthew Arana (Houston Dynamo)
One of the best 1v1 dribblers in this class. If he’s still willing, he deserves a shot. At this point, though, he may be loyal to Mexico, who have consistently called him in.

CF, Jayden Kouadio (Philadelphia Union)
I can’t argue with the two strikers currently selected—they’re top-tier—but Kouadio hasn’t received a look yet, and he’s certainly at the required level.

WING, Josh Boney (Barca Residency)
Apparently, there’s no room for a 6'1"–6'2" athletic, direct winger who’s incredibly difficult to handle in 1v1 situations?

AM, Juan Martinez (LA Galaxy)
With Turdean and Garcia occupying the attacking midfield spots, it’s a tough group to break into. But if Martinez is open to it, you’d think he’d get a look eventually. Mexico has consistently called him in.

CM/WING, Roman Avakian Gomez (FSV Mainz 05)
It feels like just a matter of time before Avakian Gomez becomes a household name for this group. He’s close to six feet tall, left-footed, and offers two-way ability. I know he’s on U.S. Soccer’s radar—they may just be waiting to bring him in for European games. He’s already played for Armenia’s U-15s and was selected to his regional DFB team as one of only two foreign players allowed.

WING, Oscar Avilez (D.C. United)
Add Avilez to the list of talented players still waiting for a call-up. He consistently performs at the U-16 level and offers a more intriguing profile than some of the players who keep getting selected.

RB, Dominik Lester (FC Cincinnati)
The current roster only includes one true right back—McCraney, who’s the top player at the position—but Lester hasn’t gotten a look either. He’s a very talented option who can play on both sides.

LB, Seyi Fakiyesi (Atlanta United)
It’s a weak class at left back, but in my opinion, Fakiyesi is clearly the top player. He was recently selected by Canada, so the U.S. might be losing ground at this position.

CB, Mikel Akinmboni (D.C. United)
Akinmboni is the top center-back I’ve scouted who hasn’t yet received a call-up.

CM, Lisandro Torres (LAFC)
Torres fits the mold of the type of midfielder Brady seems to prefer—only better. He’s not on this roster, and it may be because he leans toward Mexico. He has participated in at least one U.S. camp.

It’s genuinely discouraging that, by just the fifth camp for this age group, the selectors couldn’t identify a single player deserving of a first look.

Where to begin? From a roster construction standpoint, there are simply too many players who lack profiles that project to a high professional level. The center-backs and left-back are undersized, and many of the midfielders and wingers lack both size and explosiveness. Unless you're filling out the roster with players like Robert Turdean and Vicente Garcia—who offer clear high-level qualities without mind blowing profiles—it just doesn’t make sense.

Players like Nemo, McCraney, Tchoumba, Turdean, Garcia, Chidebe, Danjaji, and Gbalajobi should be consistent call-ups. I have no issue with them being mainstays; they are a tier above. The same applies to Connor Dale when healthy and Da’vian Kimbrough when he's open to U.S. involvement. But beyond that core, the rest of the roster spots shouldn’t be treated as locks.

There seems to be a disconnect in the selection process for these younger age groups. We were told that Matt Crocker would play an active role in shaping the strategy and philosophy of the youth national teams. If this is truly the top-down approach, that’s concerning. If the issue lies within the current staff, then it’s on Crocker to identify the problem and fix it.