As the Philadelphia Union get ready for Decision Day tomorrow at Subaru Park, a number of players have had the honor of being called to their respective national teams for the upcoming window.
United States National Teams
For the US Men’s National Team, midfielder Cavan Sullivan and defender Neil Pierre were announced earlier this week as part of Mauricio Pochettino’s roster for the Concacaf Nation League Quarterfinal against Haiti. The two-leg quarterfinal will take place on November 14 (Miami) and 17 (Cincinnati).
At the U-23 level for the United States, goalkeeper Andrew Rick and defender Frankie Westfield were called to Steve Cherundolo’s squad, along with former Union homegrown David Vazquez of San Diego FC. That camp, featuring 23 players, begins the preparations for the 2028 Olympics. It will be held November 9-17 in San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain.
The U-23s will compete in two matches at Pinatar Arena: against Scotland on Nov. 15 at 9:00 AM ET, and against Ukraine on Nov. 17 at 8:00 AM ET.
“We’re very excited to bring this talented and polished group of players together and begin our journey toward the 2028 Olympic Games,” Cherundolo said via US Soccer’s press release. “We’re eager to get to work, establish our identity and build a strong foundation for what lies ahead. Our first international matches will be a great opportunity to challenge ourselves, compete, and grow together as a team.”
Meanwhile. the U-17 Men’s National Team will be heading off to Qatar for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 21 for the USA as they take on Montenegro at 9:30 AM ET in their first match in Group J. They will then face Chile on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 9:30 AM ET, and finish with Algeria on Friday, Nov. 27 at 10:00 AM ET. The USA group stage matches can be viewed on FS2.
Head coach Alex Aldaz named striker Malik Jakupovic, who has been a force for the U-17s with 12 goals at that level, as one of the 21 players on the squad.
In 2025, four Union players represented the USA at the U-17 World Cup in Cavan Sullivan, Kellan LeBlanc, Jordan Griffin, and Jamir Johnson. They progressed out of the group stage, but ultimately fell to Morocco in the round of 32.
Other National Teams
After having a tremendous second half of the season, striker Bruno Damiani was rewarded with his first senior national team call up for his home nation of Uruguay. With 12 goals and four assists, the 24-year-old has been an integral part of the Union’s second-half surge.
Uruguay will face Argentina in a friendly on Nov. 13 and the Dominican Republic on Nov. 17.
Also, goalkeeper Andre Blake, the captain of the Reggae Boyz, has been called once again to the Jamaican National Team for the upcoming window and will play against Mexico on Nov. 14.
Main article photo by Emily Wallace-Sutton
Leave a Reply