During the March window, the U.S. U-19 team held a camp in Spain and defeated Wales 4-0 in a friendly. It marked the first camp of the cycle under head coach Gonzalo Segares, who took the job after coaching the U.S. U-17 team through the last cycle.
The U.S. U-19 team will become the U.S. U-20 team later this year. World Cup qualifying is scheduled to begin in July and if successful, the team will take part in the 2027 U-20 World Cup co-hosted by Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The U.S. U-20 age group has been the federation’s top performing youth team, having qualified for quarterfinals of the last five U-20 World Cups and having given important international experience to many top American players.
Segares spoke with Soccer America about the start of the new U-20 cycle, the team’s direction, and the progress of the USA’s youngest professionals.
SOCCER AMERICA: The cycle has kicked off. What’d you see in your first camp? How happy were you? There was a nice win over Wales. There was a change in location of the camp. Was it a good kickoff to the cycle with World Cup qualifying less than four months away?
GONZALO SEGARES: It’s exciting to get to work with this group. I knew most of the players because when I was with the 2006s, the 2007s [birth-year players] were also in the mix. I was also following them and had a good idea of what the roster was within the group. To be honest, I hadn’t seen them in a while. I was waiting to really get to work with them and learn more about them. I was really pleased with how the camp went.
We were going to Uzbekistan and then two weeks before we had to change everything. I thought the camp went smoothly. We were able to challenge the boys with trying to implement different things that we want to do in tactics. We gave them a lot of information, and I was very happy to see how they were able to take it all in.
I think that what most impressed me with this group is the athleticism we have but also the technical ability. It’s a group that, for me, can be really aggressive in how we want to high press, how we want to have our countermeasures to regain possession, and have a high line just because of the athleticism we have with the centerbacks and the fullbacks.
SA: You have limited time between now and World Cup qualifying, which starts in July. In the past U-20 coaches had several camps before World Cup qualifying to identify the players they want. You don’t have the luxury. Discuss those challenges of having to almost immediately know the best group that fits your plans.
GONZALO SEGARES: First, the last couple of camps, Gus Teren and Shaun Tsakiris have taken the group, because we knew that I was going to take the group eventually. We were planning what the objectives for the last three camps were going to be. They already have been working with them to implement some ideas of what we wanted. Also, both are assistant coaches for me, and they know the players well. So, I’m not starting from zero.
We have another camp in the June window. The plan is to bring in a few more guys and then evaluate more players. But I believe that we have a good idea of what the ideal roster is. And now the biggest question is going to be: are we going to get them released?
SA: Obtaining player releases certainly is a huge part of the job these days for U-20 and Olympic coaches.
GONZALO SEGARES: Working here for six years, I went through the cycle with Mikey Varas and the U-20 team with the 2003s and 2004s. We had a few challenges going into qualifiers with a few players not getting released since it’s not a FIFA window. But then we have seen it become even harder. Last cycle, [Coach] Michael Nsien was in qualifying, and I believe only six players from that group were at the World Cup. We had a lot of declines [from clubs]. MLS obviously keeps improving and challenging clubs to give opportunities to young players. But they become more important within their own environments and then it makes it harder for clubs to release them. We know what we’re facing and we’re trying to prepare for that. Hopefully we’ll be able to get a majority of them.
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