Canada haven't qualified for a FIFA Under-20 World Cup since hosting the 2007 edition of the tournament, but February is their chance to get back to the tournament as CONCACAF qualifying will take place in Mexico for the 2013 edition of the tournament, which will be played in Turkey.
In advance of that, former national team player and current U-20 head coach Nick Dasovic has called in 20 players for a camp in Spain later this month. The team will also be participating in the four-team Marbella Cup on the south coast of Spain.
Included in the squad are Doneil Henry of Toronto FC and Samuel Piette of Fortuna Dusseldorf, two players who have already earned caps at the senior level. Henry (above) is one of eight players in the squad that are either in the academies or senior teams of Canada’s four professional teams. Other players are involved with clubs in Portugal, Hungary, England and Spain.
In addition to those eight players currently with Canadian teams, Keven Aleman, Dylan Carreiro, Michael Petrasso, Jonathan Lao, Stefan Vukovic and Marco Lapenna are all former members of the development programs of Canadian teams.
The squad will assemble in Marbella on Oct. 7 before Canada open qualifying against the United States. The Americans are also looking to get back into the U-20 World Cup after failing to qualify for the 2011 edition of the tournament.
Canada's second game will be against Azerbaijan on Oct. 10 before concluding the tournament on Oct. 15 against Scotland.
CANADA U-20 SQUAD
Goalkeepers (2): Ricky Gomes (Sport Clube de Mirandela/Portugal), Quillan Roberts (Toronto FC)
Defenders (6): Doneil Henry (Toronto FC), Manjrekar James (PMFC-MATIAS/Hungary), Nikola Paunic (Toronto FC Academy), John Dollery (Crawley Town FC/England), Marco Lapenna (Erzgebirge Aue/Germany), Allan Zebie (FC Edmonton Reserves)
Midfielders (10): Bryce Alderson (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Keven Aleman (Real Valladolid/Spain), Dylan Carreiro (Queens Park Rangers/England), Mauro Eustaquio (Sporting Clube de Pombal/Portugal), Ben Fisk (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency), Jonathan Lao (FC Rot-Weiss Erfurt/Germany), Kevin Luarca (Montreal Impact Academy), Michael Petrasso (Queens Park Rangers/England), Samuel Piette (Fortuna Dusseldorf/Germany), Alessandro Riggi (Celta de Vigo/Spain)
Forwards (2): Caleb Clarke (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Stefan Vukovic (unattached)
