Niko Tsakiris, Edwyn Mendoza, Kaedren Spivey Earn U.S. Youth National Team Call-Ups for International Friendlies
MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Niko Tsakiris, Edwyn Mendoza, Kaedren Spivey Earn U.S. Youth National Team Call-Ups for International Friendlies

Published on March 20, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose Earthquakes midfielders Niko Tsakiris (United States Under-21), Edwyn Mendoza (USA U-20) and Kaedren Spivey (USA U-17) have been called up to their respective youth national teams and are cleared to participate in upcoming international friendlies.

Tsakiris, 20, will represent the U.S. Under-21 Youth National Team, which will face South Korea on Saturday, March 28, and Tuesday, March 31. Both matches will take place in Seoul, South Korea.

Now in his fifth season with the Earthquakes' first team, Tsakiris has notched two assists in 2026 while tallying 65 career appearances (37 starts) in MLS play since graduating from the Quakes Academy in 2022 to sign a contract as a Homegrown Player.

A native of Saratoga, Califiornia, the Homegrown midfielder was a standout for the U.S. U-20 team, most recently at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile where helped lead the Stars and Stripes to the quarterfinals. In 2024, he was nominated for Young Male Player of the Year by U.S. Soccer after earning Golden Ball honors as the best player at the 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship. At the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, Tsakiris scored three goals during the tournament to help the USA qualify for the subsequent 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina.

Mendoza, 19, will represent the U.S. Under-20 National Team at a training camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where they will face Argentina on March 28 and the Independiente reserve team on Tuesday, March 21.

An East San Jose native, Mendoza has amassed five goal contributions (2g/3a) for Earthquakes II in 65 career MLS NEXT Pro appearances. Last season, he scored a goal and notched an assist out of a primarily defensive role as the team reached the Western Conference Semifinals. Mendoza added another assist in the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs. In 2024, he led the team in minutes played and was among the league leaders. Mendoza originally signed with the Quakes' first team as a Homegrown Player on May 16, 2023.

Internationally, the midfielder most recently joined the U.S. U-20 Domestic Identity Camp in Florida in September 2025. He also helped the U.S. U-17 National Team qualify for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Spivey, 16, will join the U.S. Under-17 National Team for a training camp in Asunción, Paraguay, where the Stars and Stripes will face Paraguay on Saturday, March 28.

The San Jose native is in his second season with Earthquakes II in MLS NEXT Pro and has appeared in all three matches thus far, recording one assist. Spivey originally signed as a Homegrown Player with the Earthquakes' MLS first team in January 2025, agreeing to a deal through 2028 with a club option for 2029.

During the 2025 season, he made 19 appearances for The Town FC across all competitions, including the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference Quarterfinals and Semifinals. He also featured for the Earthquakes' Under-18 side in the 2025 Generation adidas Cup.

Spivey was most recently called up by the USYNT U-17 team in November.

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Major League Soccer Stories from March 20, 2026


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