U20s vs. Italy, Oct. 9, 2025 (Pre-/PBP/Post-Match Thread)

Both France and RSA had some players way above those levels. We on another hand subbing Norris with Miller while having Bombino on the bench as well, with two more SD full backs who are deservingly behind Westfield and didn't make the team. We also subbing Gozo (according to Univision coomentators Diego Luna companion or watever) with Brennan and BL player is the worst on our team so far.
We are better than these Italians. BTW, talking of commentators, my Spanish is just slightly better than "Si Senor" level, but I've heard way more relevant information from them than from a standard English speaking pair. Major kudos to them.

 

He might dribble a little too much but he contributes in other places. Mitrovic is not stupid when starting him every game

 

After doing a quick search, it appears this current U20 WC has been the only one not held during the summer. So, we already have that data. Argentina have won it 6 times, Brazil 5, and then next best have only 2 titles. We have been good and consistent for about 12 years at this level, but I think you are stretching the meaning of elite.

 

i mean, we're hacking away at the margins here.....but theres always room for improvement...but of course, the results have been good.

again, this US U20 team, with all of its MLS experience/1st team minutes...should beat ANY country in this World Cup with few 1st team minutes for their players....i dont care which country it is.

so yeah....if the USA plays another team with such few first team minutes as italy or france has, then yes, they should win every single time. its THAT important

 

Pretending that there was a red card foul. Even worse.

 

well its weird bc the reyna class had soooo much talent left off....it was nuts. most of those guys played in qatar for the usmnt

by elite, i dont mean the best. but making QF 5times in row....as the only team that has done that fits my definition.

this aint about all-time....its about right now, as well

idgaf what was the best u20 team in 1980....its irrelevant

i guarantee you....no one will want the us in their group next u20 WC...and subsequent ones as well.

hopefully it translates to the full team soon rather than later (I believe it will)

furthermore, I think winning a tourney like this will do wonders for the entire player pool.....and i hope it can happen. i think once the usa can start to really challenege for and win a tourney like this......it will change things internally and externally for this entire soccer program........

so, generally, yeah, results arent super important at youth level...but i think in the usa case, breaking that duck could be very momentous

 

Thanks for the correction, I was almost letting me slip into happiness about us doing well so far in this U20 World Cup.

 

I mean, I'm having fun! The team is still playing well!

But the cycle with fans is the same -- the assumption that our best result basically becomes our future baseline.

It's not a different team that beat France and Italy and lost to South Africa. Teams don't play exactly to potential each game.

 

The number of currently 20-and-unders who received playing time in their country's top leagues during the 24/25 seasons.

MLS: 63*
France: 55
England: 36
La Liga: 26
Serie 22
Bundesliga: 19

* for MLS, I used the current season. Also 6 Canadians could be added to take the total to 69.

 

2-5 from a cycle it's a lot considering that we had 0-1 from some. And if we had more from 2017 that's only because we had 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015 before that.

 

He was so atrocios in attack that helping Norris, who also had a poor game, was his biggest contribution. And no way you can teach soccer IQ at this age.

 

Which of Reyna's class went to Qatar?

 

Well, there kind of is.

Stoppage time.

Something like a bad faith/failed challenge either increases or decreases stoppage time, depending on if the team challenging is ahead or behind.

Still working on what happens if the score is tied.

Yeah, I know.

 

No body has said that, Nobody believes that, and we don't need you to project that take onto people and then correct us.
It's a standard rhetorical device to project an argument onto people and then criticize them for something that doesn't exist or exists in abstract

 

Agreed.

Also, expecting consistent play out of an entire roster of teenagers is the height of folly.

 

Morocco, who I assume will beat Korea, are going to be tough. Very tough.

An Argentina v Morocco final wouldn't surprise me.

 

Wish granted.

 

Wish Tsakaris would get first team minutes with San Jose. He’s becoming too old of a prospect in MLS to not get minutes.

 

usmnt was the youngest team in the last WC
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...e-numbers-usmnt-youth-lights-the-way-to-qatar
musah 19
reyna was 19
scally 19
pepi 19
balogun was 21
dest 22
sargent 22
weah 22

 

I DETEST VAR and I believe it is ruining football. I do not like the interminable delays or the stop/start that it produces.
The advantage of "getting it right" is more than offset by the unnecessary delays and interruptions that it causes. This "different" system is better but it is still not good at all.
But it is not pretty much set in stone and we will have to live with it or start watching soccer at a MUCH lower level or stop watching altogether.
The last choice I have seriously considered but I enjoy watching the flow and skill too much for me to make that choice, at least yet.
VAR usually gets it right but it has ruined more matches than it has enhanced by far.

 

There's literally someone who believes that we are the favorites to win the tournament.

But I'll feel free to post whatever I want, thank you very much.

 

Reyna's U20 World Cup would have been the canceled 2021 World Cup, though he would have been an off year (one year younger)*.

Musah, Busio and Scally are in his birth class; Reyna was with the senior team by the time that World Cup would have come around (well, Musah wasn't quite committed). The class was considered thin but top heavy, and that's more or less right.

Scally and Busio played on the U17 team with Reyna (where they were the oldest birth year) -- Busio was considered probably the second best prospect.



* The 2001 class that would have been the core of that team was at one time considered fairly deep, but has faded with time:

Julian Araujo
Uly Llanez
Jose Gallegos
Konrad de la Fuente
Owen Otasowie
Cameron Harper
Matthew Hoppe
David Ochoa
Travian Sousa
Thomas Roberts

Plus a couple of USMNTers:
Johnny Cardoso
Tanner Tessman

and a few other guys:
Cole Bassett
Indiana Vassilev
Taylor Booth
George Campbell

 

Well, he's 20. That's not really too old. He actually has a decent number of career minutes.

His challenge in San Jose is that the team is very top heavy in attack, with multiple creators and a usual striker that does little work other than scoring.

It makes it harder to play an offensive minded midfielder when you have no issues scoring but can't already defend even with only attacking with your front three.

I'd love it if Josef moved permanently to a bench role and Arango shifted more to a striker role, which could open up some time. He's nowhere near as good as Arango or Espinoza yet, so his best route in San Jose is to improve more of defense and keep it up. Or get a loan or move.

 

Pepi played on that U17 team also but was a bit younger (don't think it's a whole year though).

 

Pepi's a 2003; he was breaking out that summer in MLS but they headed out to the senior team by the fall so maybe he would have been on it. That seems definitely possible.

Everyone noted that 2002 was thin, 2004 and 2006 were really bad ... but 2001 and 2003 didn't come anywhere near their promise so far. It'll be interesting to see how 2005 comes out.