Rokas Pukštas, central-midfielder for Hajduk Split
For the first time since the 2024 Olympics, U.S. Soccer will field an Under-21 national team. This group will feature players born in 2004 and later and will be led by Michael Morris, who previously served as an assistant on Marko Mitrović’s U-20 staff.
The formation of this team reflects U.S. Soccer’s continued investment in its youth national team structure. Over the past couple of years, there has been a steady increase in both the number of age groups and the volume of camps.
The U-21s will travel to Denmark to face Denmark on November 14 and Serbia on November 18.
The roster
GK – Gabriel Slonina, Chelsea FC (2004)
GK – Diego Kochen, FC Barcelona (2006)
LB – Nolan Norris, FC Dallas (2005)
LB/W – Peyton Miller, New England Revolution (2007)
RB – Reed Baker-Whiting Seattle Sounders (2005)
CB – Brandan Craig, CF Montreal (2004)
CB – Thomas Williams, Orlando City (2004)
CB – Ethan Kohler, SC Verl (2005)
CB – Noah Cobb, Colorado Rapids (2005)
DM – Santiago Castañeda, Paderborn (2004)
DM – Brooklyn Raines, Houston Dynamo (2005)
CM – Rokas Pukštas, Hajduk Split (2004)
CM – Jackson Hopkins, D.C. United (2004)
AM – Gerardo Valenzuela, FC Cincinnati (2004)
AM – Niko Tsakiris, San Jose Earthquakes (2005)
W – Cole Campbell, Borussia Dortmund (2006)
W – Mykhi Joyner, St. Louis City (2006)
W – Zavier Gozo, Real Salt Lake (2007)
CF – Damion Downs, Southampton (2004)
CF – Darren Yapi, Colorado Rapids (2004)
Top eligible players not on the roster
GK – Chris Brady, Chicago Fire (2004)
Brady missed Chicago’s final playoff game due to injury, so it’s safe to assume his absence is fitness-related.
GK – Julian Eyestone, Brentford (2006)
Eyestone should get looks with this group eventually, but prioritizing Slonina and Kochen for now makes sense.
RB – Alex Freeman, Orlando City (2004)
Freeman is the only age-eligible player currently with the senior national team.
RB – Frankie Westfield, Philadelphia Union (2005)
Westfield’s Union side is still in the playoffs, which likely explains his absence.
LB – Caleb Wiley, Watford (2004)
Wiley has not featured for Watford in recent weeks while nursing an injury.
LB – Luca Bombino, San Diego FC (2006)
Bombino came off injured in SDFC’s last playoff match, and with a decisive Game 3 this weekend, his club commitments take priority.
CB – Josh Wynder, Benfica (2005)
Wynder was rumored to be getting his first team debut with Benfica in a cup game, but a knock took him out of contention. It's possible he is not here because of that knock or because he is focusing on his club situation.
CB – Noahkai Banks, FC Augsburg (2006)
Banks was somewhat surprisingly left off the senior roster, but given he’s working to solidify a starting spot at Augsburg, his omission here makes sense.
CB – Matai Akinmboni, Bournemouth (2006)
Akinmboni should be in the mix for this group, though it’s unclear if U.S. Soccer shares that view.
CM – Owen Wolff, Austin FC (2004)
It’s unlikely Wolff was left out for sporting reasons—more likely, he’s being given rest after a 3,000+ minute season.
CM – Benjamin Cremaschi, Parma (2005)
Cremaschi is fighting for a role in the Parma team and is likely prioritizing that right now.
CM – Taha Habroune, Columbus Crew (2006)
Like Westfield, Habroune is an integral player for a playoff team that is still in the race.
W – Bryce Jamison, Orange County SC (2006)
Jamison has intriguing upside, even if his long-term future may be at right back. With Orange County still in the playoffs, he wasn’t available—otherwise, he might have been preferred to Joyner.
Roster grade: A-
I don’t see any egregious selections here. There are a few players I personally rate higher than some chosen, but that’s to be expected.
It’s great to see Diego Kochen back in a U.S. shirt—even if Barcelona seems to be doing everything in their power to avoid him getting cap-tied (yes, a bit tongue-in-cheek).
I’m fine with the full-back choices given availability, though I remain mildly annoyed that Peyton Miller continues to be listed and used as a forward. He isn’t; he’s a left-back.
At center-back, I rate Matai Akinmboni above a few of the call-ups, but U.S. Soccer doesn’t seem to agree. I’m bullish on Thomas Williams, who could follow an Alex Freeman-type trajectory—once he gets his first-team chance, he might really take off.
Santiago Castañeda earns his first USYNT call-up. I’ve scouted him a few times—nothing spectacular, but he’s a solid, reliable player having a good spell in Germany. Pukštas, Raines, and Tsakiris are all personal favorites of mine, and I’m especially happy to see Pukštas back in the fold. A move to a more competitive league in January could put him on the senior team radar ahead of the World Cup.
I’ve never been a big believer in Jackson Hopkins, a player U.S. Soccer rates higher than I do. Valenzuela is an intriguing new face—a creative No. 10 type getting his first youth national team opportunity.
In attack, Campbell, Gozo, and Joyner provide the width. Campbell and Gozo return from the U-20 World Cup; Gozo, along with Miller, is one of two 2007s on the roster. I’m not overly high on Joyner, but there weren’t many clear alternatives—perhaps Andre Gitau could have been an option as he regains rhythm at Mainz.
Up top, Damion Downs—the most senior-capped player in this group—and Darren Yapi, who was on the verge of a breakout MLS season, are the right striker selections in my view.
Overall, I really like this roster. A few quibbles aside, it’s balanced, competitive, and represents another positive step in U.S. Soccer’s growing youth ecosystem.
