Sporting Kansas City defender Erik Palmer-Brown will join the United States Under-20 Men’s National Team for a training camp in Linz, Austria from April 18-26, U.S. Soccer announced on Friday. The U.S. squad, led by head coach Tab Ramos, will play Qatar U-20’s on April 21 and Croatia U-20’s on April 25 at Red Bull Arena in Wals-Siezenheim, Austria.
Palmer-Brown is one of six defenders on the 20-player roster gathered in preparation for the start of the 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup next month. The United States will play Myanmar (May 30), New Zealand (June 2) and Ukraine (June 5) in Group A of the 24-team competition.
“I am very excited to have another opportunity to represent my country,” Palmer-Brown said. “I can’t wait to get back out on the field with all the guys again.”
Palmer-Brown has appeared in seven matches for Sporting Kansas City across all competition, including the team's 2015 season opener. The 17-year-old is the youngest player to appear in Major League Soccer each of the past two seasons and he most recently represented the United States Under-20 Men's National Team in March during a training camp in England.
Palmer-Brown attended the prestigious U.S. Soccer Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida and was named one of five finalists for U.S. Soccer's 2013 Young Male Athlete of the Year. A Lee's Summit, Missouri native, Palmer-Brown is a product of the Sporting Kansas City Academy and became the club's third homegrown player signing in August 2013.
In addition, two Sporting KC Academy players were recently named to United States youth national team rosters. U-14 defender Cameron Duke is one of 36 players joining the U.S. Under-14 Boys’ National Team for a training camp from April 18-26 in Carson, California, while U-16 defender Jaylin Lindsey is on the U.S. Under-15 Boys’ National Team roster for the 12th Tournament Delle Nazioni from April 21-May 2 in Europe.
Duke will be taking part in his fourth youth national team training camp in 2015. The Olathe, Kansas native joined the U.S. U-14 BNT in Bradenton, Florida in January before returning to the team for an international trip to Spain a month later. In March, Duke debuted with the U.S. Under-15 Boys’ National Team for a training camp held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Lindsey is among 20 players on the U.S. Under-15 roster that will kick off the 12th Tournament Delle Nazioni against CONCACAF rivals Costa Rica on April 25 before rounding out Group C play against Slovenia and Croatia. Lindsey has been a part of the U.S. Soccer youth national team system since September 2013, representing the U14’s on five occasions and now earning his third invitation to join the U.S. Under-15 BNT.
