Tab Ramos names 20 of 21 players for U.S. U-20 World Cup team

Tab Ramos has made all but one decision for his U.S. Under-20 World Cup roster.Congested U.S. senior, U-23, U-20 slate creates roster balance puzzleRamos

Tab Ramos has made all but one decision for his U.S. Under-20 World Cup roster.

Congested U.S. senior, U-23, U-20 slate creates roster balance puzzle

Ramos revealed 20 of the 21 players he will take to New Zealand as the USA. Arsenal prospect and potentially U.S.-eligible midfielder Gedion Zelalem is not among them, but Ramos has until the May 15 FIFA deadline to fill out the roster, and if Zelalem is cleared to play for the USA by then, he could be added. Zelalem, who was born in Germany to Ethiopian parents, and U.S. Soccer have been in the process of getting him eligible through FIFA.

According to former U.S. goalkeeper Tony Meola, Andrija Novakovich, a regular U-20 forward who is rising at Reading, was not released by his club and therefore not selected. Clubs are not obligated to release players for a U-20 competition like they are for an official senior competition.

Also among those not picked are Columbus Crew SC's Romain Gall, who led the U.S. in scoring during World Cup qualifying; Junior Flores, the highly rated 19-year-old at Borussia Dortmund; and Cristian Roldan, the Seattle Sounders rookie who had made headway with the U-20s recently.

Among those making the trip to New Zealand are 17-year-old Tottenham center back Cameron Carter-Vickers, 18-year-old Sporting Kansas City center back and rumored Juventus target Erik Palmer-Brown and a pair of senior-team-capped players in Rubio Rubin and Emerson Hyndman.

The U.S. will play host New Zealand, Ukraine and Myanmar in Group A of the U-20 World Cup.

Here are the 20 players Ramos has selected:

GOALKEEPERS: Jeff Caldwell (University of Virginia; Todd, N.C.), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zack Steffen (Freiburg; Downingtown, Pa.)

DEFENDERS: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur; Westcliff on Sea, England), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Desevio Payne (FC Groningen; Greenwood, S.C.), John Requejo (Club Tijuana; Carpinteria, Calif.

MIDFIELDERS: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Russell Canouse (Hoffenheim; Lancaster, Pa.), Marco Delgado (Toronto FC; Glendora, Calif.), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham; Dallas, Texas), Joel Sonora (CA Boca Juniors; Buenos Aires, Argentina)

FORWARDS: Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht; Beaverton, Ore.), Maki Tall (Red Star; Washington, D.C.), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes; Loomis, Calif.)

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