Morris earns national team call-up

When the US men’s national soccer team takes the field against the Czech Republic on Sept. 3, Stanford supporters will have an extra incentive to tune in. On Aug. 28, national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann named his 22-man roster to report to Prague ahead of the midweek friendly, with Stanford sophomore striker Jordan Morris included in the group.

Sophomore forward Jordan Morris is the first active college player to earn a call-up to the men’s national team under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. (David Bernal/isiphotos.com)

Morris has represented his country before at the U-23 level, but this will serve as his first foray with the senior team. With the World Cup recently completed, these seemingly cumbersome exhibition matches provide a national team manager with a chance to survey the younger side of his talent pool. With the 2018 World Cup four years away, Klinsmann must give youngsters like Morris experience in international competition before the march to Russia begins in 2015.

Morris will train with the squad in Prague, and should be fairly certain of some involvement in the match due the relaxed, unlimited substitution policy of these friendlies. The No. 20 Cardinal (0-1) will be without Morris for their matchup today against Nebraska Omaha.

“We have watched Jordan through our Youth National Teams and in the Development Academy for the last couple of years, and he is a very promising player,” Klinsmann said. “We saw him during our two weeks at Stanford for the World Cup preparation camp, and also from his play with U-23 team in the Bahamas, and we felt like this was a good opportunity to introduce him to the Senior Team.”

The precocious Cardinal goal scorer, who netted six goals for Stanford in the 2013 collegiate season, will also have the opportunity to draw on the experience of 10 national team players who took part in the United States’ meteoric World Cup run in Brazil this past summer who will be rejoining the squad in Prague. Among them are striker Jozy Altidore and German-American Julian Green, who became a household name after netting a volley against Belgium in the Round of 16.

Regardless of the result of Tuesday’s match, this will be an invaluable experience for Morris. With the MLS in the throes of their season, Klinsmann chose a largely European-based squad: Morris was one of only three North American-based (MLS or Mexican league) players selected. Furthermore, Morris is the only collegiate player to ever earn a senior team call-up during Klinsmann’s three-year tenure.

The post-World Cup period has ushered in a new era of national team footballers, and this selection confirms Morris as one of the best prospects.

“It is an unbelievable honor to be recognized by the National Team coach and to be invited into camp for one of their international friendlies,” Stanford head coach Jeremy Gunn to GoStanford.com. “It is quite an achievement for Jordan and one I’m sure he will cherish.”

Contact Will Drinkwater at willydri ‘at’ stanford.edu.