FC Dallas Homegrown midfielder Thomas Roberts and FCD Academy U19 players Tanner Tessmann, Kevin Bonilla, and Johan Gomez have all been named to the first US U20 team of the next qualifying cycle. The U23s will play two matches in Rogaska Slatina, Slovenia, vs. Croatia and United Arab Emirates U-23.

Charlie Kelma of Southend United spent much of his youth in the Dallas area and used to play for FC Dallas Premier.

The U20s are starting preparations for the 2021 U20 World Cup and will feature players born in 2001 or later. This the same age bracket at the US Development Academy U19 teams that begin 2019-2020 play this week.

Thomas Roberts signed his Homegrown contract with FC Dallas in July of 2018 but wasn't officially activated on to the MLS roster until this season. The 18-year-old midfielder has made six appearances for the Toros this season including three starts. In addition, Roberts has been getting playing time with FCD's developmental USL-1 side North Texas SC, making eight starts and slinging the ball around at a highly impressive 91% clip. A pure #10 type playmaker in the Academy, Roberts is adapting his game to Coach Luchi Gonzalez's system and learning to play as a two-way 8 in the midfield.

Tanner Tessmann controls the ball while shielding off a North Carolina FC defender in the 2019 DA Playoffs. (Collodi Photography)

Tanner Tessmann, a playmaking midfielder and difference-maker for the FCD U19s, took home the 2019 Development Academy Playoff Holden Ball as the tournament's best player. As an amateur Academy player, Tessmann has made 14 appearances for Coach Eric Quill with North Texas SC, including 9 starts. Tessmann, who can play anywhere from a 6 to a 9, is usually deployed as an 8. With a knack for scoring from range, Tessmann bagged 8 goals for the U19s this last season and 11 goals for the U17s two seasons back. Tessmann is still in high school and should split time between the U19s and NTXSC this fall. He also tops my list of names FCD should sign to a contract as playing in college would be a waste of time for Tessmann.

Kevin Bonilla plays a long pass against NYCFC in the 2019 DA U19 Finals. (Collodi Photography)

Kevin Bonilla, another FCD U19, like Tessmann is commonly a starter for North Texas SC with 12 starts in 13 appearances. Naturally a right back, Bonilla can also play on the left and made 23 starts out of 26 appearances for the U19s last season. Like Tessmann, Bonilla has a pro-grade in my book and I think should also be signed by FCD/North Texas, perhaps for the 2020 season. Reggie Cannon and Bryan Reynolds are both ahead of him at right back in the FCD pipeline, but one or both of those players will likely move on to bigger things at some point clearing a path for Bonilla to MLS.

Johan Gomez celebrates his goal for North Texas SC against Orlando City B, May 11, 2019. (Hack Wallace / North Texas SC)

Last, but certainly not least, is FCD's prolific U19 9-style striker Johan Gomez. The 2018-19 DA Central Conference Player of the Year, all he does is score goals. Gomez did graduate high school this year and had a ride to the University of Portland lined up but is choosing to return to the FCD's U19s in what is commonly called a "gap year" before heading to college or perhaps signing a pro contract. Gomez is a prolific striker and goal poacher with 28 goals in 28 games this last season for the U19s and 21 goals in 24 games the season before for the U17s. Gomez has also played for North Texas SC making 3 starts in 6 games scoring his first-ever pro goal against Orlando City B in May.

Update 8/31/19: Johan Gomez has signed with FC Porto.

U.S. U-20 MNT ROSTER BY POSITION

(CLUB OR COLLEGE; HOMETOWN)

GOALKEEPERS (2): David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; Oxnard, Calif.), Patrick Schulte (Saint Louis University; St. Charles, Mo.)

DEFENDERS (8): Kwabena Boateng (UC Irvine; Elk Grove, Calif.), Jose Kevin Bonilla (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas), George Campbell (Atlanta United; Chester, Pa.), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; Oldsmar, Fla.), Ian Hoffmann (Karlsruher/GER; Wilton, Conn.), Stuart Ritchie (Hannover 96/GER; Pleasanton, Calif.), Leonardo Sepulveda (Salamanca/ESP; Corona, Calif.), Travian Sousa (Hamburg/GER; Sacramento, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids; Littleton, Colo.), Justin Haak (NYCFC; Brooklyn, N.Y.), Marcelo Palomino (Unattached; Houston, Texas), Matteo Ritaccio (Liverpool/ENG; Westbury, N.Y.), Thomas Roberts (FC Dallas; Little Rock, Ark.), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas; Birmingham, Ala.), Indiana Vassilev (Aston Villa/ENG; Savannah, Ga.)

FORWARDS (5): Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona/ESP; Barcelona, Spain), Johan Gomez (Unattached; Keller, Texas), Cameron Harper (Celtic/SCO; Newport Beach, Calif.), Jalen Hawkins (Ingolstadt/GER; Munich, Germany), Charlie Kelman (Southend United/ENG; Basildon, England)

US U20 Coach Tab Ramos gives instructions in training while Brandon Servania, Paxton Pomykal, and Chris Cappis look on. (US Soccer)