Just one day after FC Dallas captain Carlos Ruiz returned to the squad following several weeks with the Guatemalan national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Hoops lose two more players -- Dax McCarty and Anthony Wallace, who departed for the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada on Monday.
The 20-year-old McCarty currently leads FCD with four assists. He has played in all 14 of his side's contests this year with 11 of those being starts. The University of North Carolina product is quick to credit FCD head coach Steve Morrow for his being selected for the U-20 squad.
"I have to attribute a lot of this to my play with Dallas and to Steve (Morrow) for giving me a chance," McCarty said. "I definitely think I earned my spot the whole way. My play on the field has spoken for itself, but there's still room for improvement. I'm extremely happy, excited and looking forward to this opportunity."
McCarty, one of three Generation adidas players with FCD, was the sixth overall pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft and spent much of his rookie season with the Hoops reserves, scoring three goals with two assists in eight starts. He also saw time in two games with the first team a year ago, totaling 12 minutes.
Wallace, on the other hand, is an 18-year-old defender who was FCD's first pick in the 2007 SuperDraft and is also a Generation adidas player. He has yet to see time with the first team as a rookie, but has been strong in four starts for the Hoops reserves in the back four.
Both players are clearly excited about getting to represent the U.S. on such a big stage.
"I am extremely excited about it," McCarty said. "It's definitely an honor to be able to represent your country at an event this big. I'm just going to go in, work hard and see what I can do to help the team."
Wallace agreed. "It is a big surprise but most of all, it's a big joy because it's my first World Cup," he said. "I'm really looking forward to this one after missing the U-17 World Cup. I think it will just teach me more responsibility and will help me a lot in my future development."
Other than the honor of playing in the U-20 World Cup, both McCarty and Wallace feel that sharing the experience with a teammate only adds to the whole event.
"Wally is a great kid. He's real young, raw and extremely athletic. He's just the type of player that the U-20 team needs. He can play a lot of different positions -- center mid, center or left back," McCarty said. "He brings a great attitude and has been a great addition to the team this year. To be able to play with him is going to be a great experience. It will be nice just having another Dallas guy there."
Wallace admits that he found it a little funny when the 20-year-old McCarty, who is just two years Wallace's senior, called him a "great kid."
"He just turned 20," Wallace said. "I guess that's what I am -- the kid who just turned 18. It comes with the territory and I'm fine with it. It's going to be real fun (playing on the U-20s with him). I'm really happy to see him on there, especially since he got left off previous rosters toward the end of qualifying."
Both FCD players participated in a U-20 camp in Frisco back in late March but before then, McCarty had been left off the roster for the World Cup qualifying, which was a bit of a shock to him, especially after he starred for the U-20s for much of 2006.
"It's definitely been a rollercoaster for me," McCarty admitted. "Going into the pre-qualifying camps and doing well as captain and to then be left off the qualifying roster was tough. It's been a journey and it's made me stronger physically and mentally."
But the Hoops midfielder used that entire experience to make him a better player and this year, let his play for FCD speak for itself and serve as a great case for his inclusion on the squad.
"It's also made me work that much harder," McCarty said. "It's definitely a learning experience. Nothing in life is ever guaranteed and I knew that going in. I used not making the qualifying roster to motivate me."
The U-20 team was set to arrive in Somerset, N.J., for training on June 17 before leaving for Montreal. On June 23, they will play a tune-up game against Chile at Giants Stadium with the U-20 World Cup set to begin one week later and run through July 22. The USA opens play on June 30 against South Korea in Montreal with kickoff set for 4:45 p.m. ET.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
