The competition is formidable and many of the names fighting for a starting centerback position are recognizable to soccer fans, even though none are more than 19 years old.
Those in the U-20 U.S. men’s national team pool include Miles Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick in last week’s MLS SuperDraft; Real Salt Lake starter and defensive player of the year Justen Gladd; and Cameron Carter-Vickers, who plays club for Tottenham Hotspur FC of the English Premier League and was called up to the senior team in November.
There’s also Sporting Kansas City’s Erik Palmer-Brown, who was on loan with FC Porto B in Portugal last season and helped the U.