While the goal of the U.S. Soccer Youth National Team program has always been to develop players for the full U.S. Men’s National Team, the last few MYNT cycles have left an indelible impact on the current senior squad. Half of the USA’s 2022 FIFA World Cup roster previously represented the red, white and blue at a youth World Cup, including 10 players at the U-17 level.
From the USA’s 17 prior appearances at the U-17 World Cup, an average of 3.5 players have gone on to play for the full USMNT, roughly 17 percent of each U-17 World Cup squad. The last three U-17 World Cup rosters have produced three of the four highest rates of players to go on to represent USMNT, with the potential for more to come. Eight have debuted from the 2015 U-17 World Cup in Chile, the most-ever for the U.S., and the pathway has seen remarkable success since the USA missed out on the 2013 U-17 World Cup.
|
U-17 World Cup
|
Players Capped
|
% of Players Capped
|
Players Named to Senior WC Roster
|
% Named to Senior WC Roster
|
|
2019
|
5
|
24%
|
2
|
10%
|
|
2017
|
7
|
33%
|
3
|
14%
|
|
2015
|
8
|
38%
|
4
|
19%
|
|
2013 – DNQ
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
2011
|
2
|
10%
|
1
|
5%
|
|
2009
|
3
|
14%
|
0
|
0%
|
|
2007
|
2
|
10%
|
0
|
0%
|
|
2005
|
2
|
10%
|
2
|
10%
|
|
2003
|
4
|
20%
|
1
|
5%
|
|
2001
|
4
|
22%
|
1
|
6%
|
|
1999
|
5
|
28%
|
5
|
28%
|
|
1997
|
2
|
11%
|
0
|
0%
|
|
1995
|
2
|
11%
|
2
|
11%
|
|
1993
|
1
|
6%
|
1
|
6%
|
|
1991
|
4
|
22%
|
0
|
0%
|
|
1989
|
3
|
17%
|
1
|
6%
|
|
1987
|
2
|
11%
|
2
|
11%
|
|
1985
|
3
|
17%
|
1
|
6%
|
|
TOTAL
|
59 (3.5 Average)
|
17%
|
26 (1.5 Average)
|
7%
|
Ahead of the U-17 World Cup’s return following a four-year absence due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, here’s a look at how the last few cycles have built the current USMNT.
BRAZIL 2019
The 2019 U-17 World Cup squad featured the most professional experience of any U.S. roster at the tournament. Five players went on to make their senior USMNT debuts in the lead-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, all appearing in official competition, including World Cup qualifying and the Concacaf Gold Cup.
