U.S. coach Thomas Rongen announced his roster for the World Youth Championship Nov. 27-Dec. 19 in the United Arab Emirates.

Eight MLS players and two European-based players are included on roster.

Of the players selected, 15 were part of the squad that took second in the CONCACAF qualifying subgroup in Charleston, S.C., a year ago to qualify for the fourth consecutive World Youth Championship — and eighth overall.

The most significant addition is left back Zak Whitbread, who is on the verge of making the first team at English club Liverpool. Whitbread was born in the United States, where he father worked for Umbro, but raised in England.

As expected, Rongen did not take 14-year-old sensation Freddy Adu. The youngest player on the team is 18-year-old Arturo Alvarez.

Ten players on the team participated with the U.S. in the 2001 Under-17 World Championship. Bobby Convey, the only player capped on the senior national team, is the only holdover from the 2001 World Youth Championship. Convey, Ricardo Clark and Eddie Johnson were the three U-20 players called up for the Olympic qualifying series against the St. Kitts & Nevis that begins Saturday in Basseterre.

The team will travel to UAE Nov. 22 and conduct a week of training before the tournament, which will include a friendly against Panama on Nov. 25 in Abu Dhabi.

The U.S. will play all three of its Group F games at Al-Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi: Nov. 29 against Paraguay, Dec. 2 against Germany and Dec. 5 against South Korea. The top two teams in each group and the four best No. 3 teams advance to the round of 16.

No TV plans have been announced for the U-20 World Cup, but following the lead of the U-17 World Cup in August, Galavision and Telefutura should carry selected games.

U.S. UNDER-20 ROSTER:

Goalkeepers): Steve Cronin (Santa Clara Univ.), Ford Williams (Univ. of North Carolina).

Defenders: Ryan Cochrane (Santa Clara Univ.), Jordan Harvey (UCLA), C.J. Klaas (Univ. of Washington), Chad Marshall (Stanford Univ.), Drew Moor (Indiana Univ.), Jordan Stone (Dallas Burn), Zak Whitbread (Liverpool/ENG).

Midfielders: Arturo Alvarez (San Jose Earthquakes), Ricardo Clark (MetroStars), Bobby Convey (D.C. United), Clint Dempsey (Furman Univ.), Ned Grabavoy (Indiana Univ.), David Johnson (Willem II/HOL), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire).

Forwards: Knox Cameron (Michigan Univ.), Ed Johnson (Dallas Burn), Mike Magee (MetroStars), Santino Quaranta (D.C. United).