CHICAGO (May 18, 2023) – US U-20 Men’s National Team defender Mauricio Cuevas has been ruled out of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup due to an ankle injury. After FIFA granted US Soccer’s request to have Cuevas replaced, Orlando City SC defender Michael Halliday has been added to the 21-man roster for the World Cup.
Under the rules, an injured player can be replaced on the roster up to 24 hours before a team’s opening game. The replacement must come from the provisional list of 55 players and approved by the tournament’s medical committee.
Halliday was part of the U.S. team that won the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Honduras last summer, playing in six of seven games during the title run. Most recently, the outside back was called up to the USA’s March training camp in Spain, where he will play against France and England.
On the club front, Halliday has had a strong start to the season with Orlando City SC, appearing in eight of the team’s 12 matches so far and both of the club’s Concacaf Champions League matches.
The U.S. begins Group B play on Saturday, May 20 against Ecuador (Fox Soccer Plus, Telemundo), faces Fiji on Tuesday, May 23 (FS2, Universo) and closes group play against Slovakia on Friday, May 26 (FS2, Universo) . All three games start at 2pm ET.
2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup list by position (club; hometown; U-20 caps/goals)
MILK CAPS (3): 21-Alexander Borto (Fulham/ENG; South Plainfield, NJ; 2/0), 12-Antonio Carrera (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas; 4/0), 1-Gaga Slonina (Chelsea/ENG; Addison, Ill.; 5/0)
DEFENDERS (7): 17-Justin Che (Hoffenheim/GER; Dallas, Texas; 6/0), 5-Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.; 10/1), 14-Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy; Santa Clarita, Calif.; 11 /0), 13-Jonathan Gomez (Real Sociedad/ESP; Keller, Texas; 6/0), 2-Michael Halliday (Orlando City SC; Apopka, Fla.; 8/0), 3-Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United) FC; Atlanta, Ga.; 5/0), 4-Joshua Wynder (Louisville City FC; Louisville, Ky.; 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): 6-Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls; Warren, NJ; 10/0), 10-Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; Sunnyvale, CA; 4/16), 8-Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Middle Village, NY ; 2/16), 20-Rokas Pukstas (Hajduk Split/CRO; Stillwater, Okla.; 12/1), 15-Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes; Saratoga, Calif.; 5/3), 18-Obed Vargas ( Seattle Sounders FC; Anchorage, Alaska; 4/0), 16-Owen Wolff (Austin FC; Austin, Texas; 3/1)
FORWARD (4): 9-Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; Ceres, Calif.; 7/2), 11-Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg/GER; South Riding, Va.; 6/2), 7-Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa . ; 7/15), 19-Darren Yapi (Colorado Rapids; Denver, Colo.; 3/0)
