Zach Pfeffer Left Off Of USMNT Under-17 World Cup Team

Wilmer Cabrera, USMNT under-17 head coach, named his 21-player squad for the upcoming under-17 World Cup in Mexico and the Philadelphia Union‘s Zach Pfeffer was not on the list.

The 16-year-old Pfeffer recently had his appendix removed, which kept him on the sidelines for a couple of weeks. Dave Zeitlin, of MLSsoccer.com and CSNPhilly.com, reported on the surgery and quoted Union assistant coach John Hackworth as saying it was a setback for Pfeffer's World Cup hopes.

Upon his return from rest after the surgery, Pfeffer made a gameday bench for the Union for the first time in his short career and became the youngest player ever to don a Union jersey. By not being named to the World Cup team, Pfeffer will now be available for the Union’s games versus Real Salt Lake on June 11, at the Vancouver Whitecaps on June 19, versus Sporting Kansas City on June 22, versus Chivas USA on June 25 and possibly more if the USMNT move past the group stage.

Per USsoccer.com:

U.S U-17 Men’s National Team Roster by Position Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): 21-Wade Hamilton (Arsenal FC; Murrieta, Calif.), 1-Kendall McIntosh (San Jose Earthquakes Academy; Santa Rosa, Calif.), 12-Fernando Piña (Houston Dynamo; Houston, Texas)
DEFENDERS (6): 16-Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas Academy; Plano, Texas), 4-Joe Amon (South Carolina United; Summerville, S.C.), 2-Zach Carroll (Vardar; Grand Blanch, Mich.), 6-Mobi Fehr (Tokyo Verdy 1969; Tokyo, Japan), 15-Alessandro Mion (Kendall SC; Miami, Fla.), 3-Nathan Smith (Cal Odyssey; Clovis, Calif.),
MIDFIELDERS (8): 5-Matt Dunn (FC Cologne; Dallas, Texas), 10-Alejandro Guido (Aztecs Premier; Chula Vista, Calif.), 13-Nico Melo (Florida Rush; Kissimmee, Fla.), 11-Marc Pelosi (De Anza Force; Sunnyvale, Calif.), 8-Esteban Rodriguez (Cosmos Academy West; Palmdale, Calif.), 14-Tarik Salkicic (Strictly Soccer; Pinellas Park, Fla.), 17-Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy; Brighton, Colo.), 20-Andrew Souders (Crew Soccer Academy; Amherst, Ohio)
FORWARDS (4): 18-Paul Arriola (Arsenal FC; Chula Vista, Calif.), 7-Alfred Koroma (Solar SC; Arlington, Texas), 19-Jack McBean (Los Angeles Galaxy; Newport Beach, Calif.) 9-Mario Rodriguez (Central Aztecs; North Hollywood, Calif.)