Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan called into USMNT; Raúl Ruidíaz left off Peru

Morris and Roldan appear to be well positioned to make World Cup roster.

Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan were both called into the United States Men’s National Team for a quartet of matches next month, while Raúl Ruidíaz was left off Peru’s roster for a slate of matches that will include a win-or-stay-home World Cup qualifying playoff.

Morris and Roldan are widely considered to be on the bubble of Gregg Berhalter’s World Cup roster, and this has to be seen as a positive sign for their chances. The USMNT will play two friendlies and then two Concacaf Nations League games between June 1-14. The 27-man roster for those games is heavily weighted toward players who have been significant participants in the qualifying campaign. Only five outfield players — Cameron Carter-Vickers, Djordje Mihailovic, Joe Scally, Malik Tillman and Haji Wright — didn’t make at least one appearance during the qualifying campaign.

Morris and Roldan will likely miss one Sounders game as a result. The Sounders had to move a game against the Vancouver Whitecaps to June 14 in order to accommodate Concacaf Champions League. Both players should be back in time to participate in the June 18 match against LAFC.

Ruidíaz being left off Peru’s roster is a bit more surprising. A couple weeks ago, there were reports that they had already asked the Sounders for permission to release the forward. However, his name was conspicuously left off the roster on Friday. In his place were three forwards with somewhat unimpressive resumes, Alex Valera, Gianluca Lapadula and Santiago Ormeño.

Ormeño plays for Liga MX’s León and has just one goal in 25 appearances in their most recent campaign; Lapadula plays for Benevento in Italy’s Serie B; and Valero plays domestically in Peru.