So. You’ve decided to watch the under 20 World Cup this year. Welcome. You are well on your way to becoming the soccer version of a football recruiting guy/girl, or maybe one of those NFL draftnik types. Either way make sure you enjoy feeling superior to most other soccer fans because you saw player X in this tournament before they were a star.

Format

There are six 4-team groups. The top two teams from each group move on – along with the top four third place teams.

From there it’s the usual 16 team knockout tournament.

How do I watch it?

It starts on May 23rd and FOX has the rights to the U20 World Cup so it will be available on Fox channels (FS1, FS2, FOX – if it’s like last time most of the games will be on FS2). Also, if you purchased the Fox Soccer Match Pass for the Bundesliga season the U20 WC will be available on there as well.

It’s being played in Poland so we’ll be looking at midday match times. That may call for a couple long lunches planned around US games.

Is the US any good?

Short answer. Yes. If you are reading this you probably already know that, but this is the best looking US U20 team I can remember. As a point of reference, this will be the fourth U20 World Cup that I have actually watched.

Apparently the 2007 US U20 team (young Bradley, Altidore, etc.) that lost in the quarters to Austria was really good, but I wasn’t a total soccer degenerate at that point. Plus, I’m not sure that tournament was even generally available to watch.

This is pretty much the lineup that most expect to see in Poland. (Full rosters are scheduled to drop May 10, but barring injury these guys are all on the team.)

The center back pool is shallow, so if the top two aren’t available the center of defense might be weak, but the rest of the team is strong and deep. These are the teams the presumed starters/starting options are playing for:

Ochoa – RSL (Real Monarch starter)

Gloster – Hannover (U23 starter)

Richards – Bayern Munich (U19 starter)

McKenzie – Philadelphia (bench 😢)

Dest – Ajax (U19 starter)

Durkin – DC (starting atm)

Mendez – Freiburg (U19 starter)

Pomykal – Dallas (starter)

Ledezma – PSV (U19 maybe starter?)

Llanez – Wolfsburg (can’t play yet)

Konrad – Barcelona (U19 starter)

Sargent – Werder Bremen (bench option)

Soto – Hannover (U19 starter/senior team bench option)

Not a bad list. Now this is the list of teams from the 2017 team.

Klinsmann – University of California

Acosta – RSL

CCV – Tottenham

Glad – RSL

Fossey – Fulham (Correction: Aaron Herrera played RB for most of this tourney – he was @ the University of New Mexico at the time)

(Correction: Aaron Herrera played RB for most of this tourney – he was @ the University of New Mexico at the time) Adams – New York Red Bulls

de la Torre – Fulham

Zelalem – Arsenal

Jones – Philadelphia

Lennon – RSL

Sargent – St. Louis Scott Gallagher (Sargent was waiting to move to Europe)

Not a terrible list here either, but the current group certainly looks more impressive. Plus, the current roster is getting a lot more top level minutes than the 2017 group if my memory is correct. You can also see the “Pulisic effect” on the roster (all the Bundesliga clubs).

Opponents

I would say the US had an easier draw in 2017 (Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador), about the same in 2015 (Ukraine, New Zealand, Myanmar) and a MUCH harder group in 2013 (FRANCE – Champs with Pogba, Spain, Ghana – finished 3rd).

I’m not sure on the quality of these teams, but it’d be a huge disappointment if the US didn’t get out of the group (it should probably win it). Adam Belz has a helpful Twitter thread going that provides some info on the teams.

Here’s a brief rundown on what I do know about each.

Nigeria – This looks like the toughest team in the USA’s group. They are historically pretty good for some reas…ummm, well…they cheat.

Here’s a quote from Anthony Williams (past head of Nigerian Football Assoc.) “That was one of the issues I looked at, we can’t keep using overage players. We use over-age players for junior championships, I know that. Why not say it? It’s the truth. We always cheat. It’s a fact. When you cheat, you deprive the young stars that are supposed to play in these competitions their rights.” That quote is from 1999, but there have been accusations up through 2009. I’m sure they don’t do that anymore though…

They also have a bunch of talented (presumably U20) players headlined by Samuel Chukwueze – who has 8g/2a in all competitions with Villareal this year.

Qatar – I know nothing about Qatar. They have a lot of money and are hosting the World Cup in 3 years *sigh* so I presume that they are investing heavily in this age group. The most recent results that I could find (below) aren’t that impressive.

Ukraine – Their senior team is #27 in the FIFA ranks, so it follows that their youth teams should be decent. According to the Scuffed thread I referenced earlier, there is one really talented player on the team (Vladyslav Supriaha) that they depend on rather heavily. The most recent results look decent enough.

US Players to Watch

Sargent/Soto – It’s not a given that Sargent will even be with this team. There was a point earlier this year where it looked like Sargent was going to break into the Bremen full team, but he didn’t. He has only gotten a few minutes in the past couple months so now the U20 WC looks like a possibility.

Soto has broken through to get sub minutes in the past few weeks with Hannover as they prepare for life in the 2. Bundesliga. If Sargent isn’t there he’s your starter.

Llanez/Konrad – These might be the best two winger prospects the US has ever produced (remember CP was a 10 with USYNTs). Ulysses Llanez isn’t allowed to play official games with Wolfsburg yet (wasn’t 18 in time to be registered) but the last I heard Llanez had 2 goals and an assist in his first friendly start.

Konrad de la Fuente is playing for Barcelona’s U19 team and doing well. He starts on the right wing for them and looks like he might have a chance to play with Barca B in the next year or two.

Mendez/Pomykal/Ledezma – This is the most exciting part of the team for me. The US has traditionally had trouble finding creative midfield types. Who’s the last creative mid we’ve seen play regularly with the full NT? Feilhaber? It’s been a minute.

All three of these guys are 8/10 hybrids. Mendez has the most offensive talent of the three but is weakest on D. Pomykal probably provides the best D. There’s only two starting spots for these three. It’s crazy. The US is leaving home guys who would be lock starters in any other cycle. Brenden Aaronson probably isn’t going to make this team and he starts for the Union.

Dest – Sergino Dest plays for Ajax and may break into their first team next season (maybe even a league cameo this year?). He’s good on the ball, has some flair, is excellent in the attack, and on defense. Susaeta has called him the best fullback prospect the US has ever had. Exciting times.

Let’s Go

I’m ready for this tournament to start right now. Let’s hope everyone stays healthy for the next three weeks and we get to enjoy a nice long run in the U20 World Cup.

I could certainly be wrong, but it looks like US Soccer might be prioritizing the next couple youth tournaments. If the boys ball out as expected they will make up the core of the 2020 Olympic team. Adams, Pulisic, and McKennie are all age eligible to play in that one…