SAN JOSE, Calif.– San Jose Earthquakes Homegrown players Cade Cowell and Niko Tsakiris are among 16 players called to the United States U20 National Team for a training camp that will run from Oct. 25 – Nov. 6 at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.
Tsakiris, born in June 2005, is the youngest player included at the camp and is one of just three players born in 2005. San Jose is one of four MLS clubs to send two players, along with Chicago Fire FC, the LA Galaxy, and the New York Red Bulls.
The training camp will take place concurrently with a fitness camp for the senior U.S. Men’s National Team ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Cowell, 19, has made 81 regular season appearances for the Earthquakes since signing a Homegrown Player contract ahead of the 2019 MLS season. After a breakout season in 2021, in which he tallied five goals and six assists in 33 appearances, Cowell concluded the 2022 season with three goals, five assists and a career-high 15 starts in 31 appearances. Internationally, Cowell has represented the United States at the U16, U17, U20 and U23 levels, while also making his senior team debut in a friendly vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina on Dec. 19, 2021.
Tsakiris, 17, signed a Homegrown Player contract with San Jose ahead of the 2022 MLS season. He made 10 appearances during his rookie year and started the team’s final three matches of the season, including the California Clasico at Stanford Stadium. Tsakiris also started the team’s first two U.S. Open Cup matches, scoring one goal. He has previously represented the United States at the U15 and U20 levels.
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2003 are age-eligible for next year’s 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup. The USA qualified for the U20 World Cup as well as the 2024 Paris Olympics at this summer’s Concacaf U20 Championship. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2001 are age-eligible for the Olympics. The training camp roster includes two players who aren’t eligible for the U-20 World Cup but are eligible for the 2024 Olympics: defender John Tolkin and midfielder Aidan Morris.
U.S. U-20 MYNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COLLEGE; HOMETOWN) - OCTOBER/NOVEMBER TRAINING CAMP
GOALKEEPERS (2): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire FC; Naperville, Ill.), Antonio Carrera (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas)
DEFENDERS (5): Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy; Santa Clarita, Calif.), Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; Lakewood, Calif.), Kayden Pierre (Sporting Kansas City; Rochester Hills, Mich.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls; Warren, N.J.), Daniel Leyva (Seattle Sounders FC; Las Vegas, Nev.), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew SC; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.)
FORWARDS (5): Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; Ceres, Calif.), Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; Miami, Fla.), Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.), Jackson Hopkins (D.C. United; Fredericksburg, Va.), Marcos Zambrano (Philadelphia Union; Gladwyne, Pa.)
