The 2011 U-20 World Cup cycle is over. Bring on 2013.
At least that's the message sent by US Soccer in the 20 players called to the Under-20 national team on Monday for the squad's six-day training trip to France starting next week.
Six players on the US roster — including 17-year-old Real Salt Lake starlet Luis Gil (pictured above) and 18-year-old goalkeeper of the future Cody Cropper — are age-eligible for the '13 tournament. Anthony Brooks (18), Daniel Potts (17), Jerome Kiesewetter (18) and Sean Cunningham (18) round out the half-dozen players who will serve as the backbone for the next cycle.
Although the team - which will be coached by Tab Ramos after last week's firing of Thomas Rongen - has its gaze set on the future, there are some holdovers from the CONCACAF Championship in Guatemala.
Eight players named to the travel roster — Cropper, Conor Doyle, Dillon Powers, Joe Gyau, Kelyn Rowe, Sacir Hot, Sebastien Ibeagha and Sebastian Lletget — were also on the squad that failed to qualify for this summer's U-20 World Cup. The US will be in France from May 15-20, and will face France's U-20 side on May 17 and 19.
Some of those players will likely make the US' 2012 Summer Olympics team, which will be primarily a U-23 side.
Major League Soccer is well-represented in the group as well. In addition to Gil and RSL teammate Donny Toia, the seven MLS representatives also include Hot (New York), Brian Sylvestre (Vancouver), Conor Shanosky (D.C. United), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston) and Victor Ulloa (FC Dallas).
US U-20 MNT Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town; Athens, Ga.), Brian Sylvestre (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; Hollywood, Fla.)
DEFENDERS (6): Anthony Brooks (Hertha BSC; Berlin), Sean Cunningham (Molde FK; Troy, Mich.), Sacir Hot (New York Red Bulls; Fair Lawn, N.J.), Sebastien Ibeagha (Duke; Missouri City, Texas), Daniel Potts (West Ham United; London), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo; Huber Heights, Ohio)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Sebastian Lletget (West Ham United; San Francisco), Dillon Powers (Notre Dame; Plano, Texas), Kelyn Rowe (UCLA; Newport Beach, Calif.), Conor Shanosky (D.C. United; Sterling, Va.), Donny Toia (Real Salt Lake: Tucson, Ariz.)
FORWARDS (6): Terrence Boyd (Hertha BSC; Berlin), Conor Doyle (Derby County FC; McKinney, Texas), Josh Gatt (Molde FK; Plymouth, Mich.), Joe Gyau (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim; Silver Spring, Md.), Jerome Kiesewetter (Hertha BSC; Berlin), Victor Ulloa (FC Dallas; Wylie, Texas)
