US National Team

NEWS: Emi Ochoa Called to United States U19 National Team for Slovenia Nations Cup Tournament

emi ochoa

SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes Homegrown goalkeeper Emi Ochoa has been called to the United States U19 National Team for the Slovenia Nations Cup in Terme Catez, Slovenia from Sept. 16-28. Team USA will face Malta on Wednesday, Sept. 21, Croatia on Friday, Sept. 23, and Scotland on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

Ochoa, 17, signed a Homegrown Player contract with San Jose ahead of the 2020 MLS season. He was 14 years and 191 days old at the time, then the second youngest player to ever sign a professional contract in MLS history. Ochoa made his first team debut on July 20, 2022, in an international friendly against Spanish side RC Celta de Vigo. He also made 15 appearances for Earthquakes II in MLS NEXT Pro and played for the Quakes Academy U17s at the 2022 Generation adidas Cup.

Internationally, Ochoa has previously represented the United States (U14, U15, U19) and Mexico (U16, U18).

The Salinas, Calif. native was most recently called up to the U.S. U19s for a pair of friendly matches in June earlier this year.

Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2004 are age-eligible for this U-19 MYNT cycle and head coach Marko Mitrović has called 20 players to Slovenia, 10 born in 2004 and 10 born in 2005. All 20 players are age-eligible for next summer’s 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

U-19 MYNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COLLEGE; HOMETOWN) - SLOVENIA NATIONS CUP

GOALKEEPERS (2): Antonio Carrera (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Emi Ochoa (San Jose Earthquakes; Salinas, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (7): Noah Allen (Inter Miami CF; Pembroke Pines, Fla.), Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Alexander Freeman (Orlando City SC; Plantation, Fla.), Kobi Henry (Reims/FRA; Lakeland, Fla.), Nolan Norris (FC Dallas; Celina, Texas), Thomas Williams (Orlando City SC; Titusville, Fla.), Joshua Wynder (Louisville City FC; Louisville, Ky.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; Miami, Fla.), Zach Booth (Leicester City/ENG; Eden, Utah), Bryan Moyado (LAFC; La Puente, Calif.), Sergio Oregel Jr. (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.), Jack Panayotou (Georgetown; Cambridge, Mass.), Marcel Ruszel (Torino/ITA; Chicago, Ill.), Owen Wolff (Austin FC; Austin, Texas)

FORWARDS (4): Favian Loyola (Orlando City SC; Orlando, Fla.), Rodrigo Neri (Atletico Madrid/ESP; Madrid, Spain), Oluwakorede Osundina (Orange County SC; Redmond, Wash.), Marcos Zambrano-Delgado (Philadelphia Union; Gladwyne, Pa.)

USA SCHEDULE – FOURTH SLOVENIA NATIONS CUP

Wednesday, Sept. 21 - USA vs. Malta – 10 a.m. PT

Friday, Sept. 23 - USA vs. Croatia – 10 a.m. PT

Tuesday, Sept. 27 - USA vs. Scotland – 8 a.m. PT