5 U.S. Players Who Shined at the U20 World Cup

The U.S. under-20 national team was eliminated from the U20 World Cup after a quarterfinal defeat against Serbia on penalties.

Both sides were tied 0-0 after two hours, and the U.S. ended up losing after nine rounds in the shootout, despite a valiant effort from goalkeeper Zack Steffen.

Even though the U.S. was ousted from the tournament, there were several standouts in this squad. The defense, anchored by center backs Cameron Carter-Vickers and Matt Miazga, was exceptional throughout the World Cup.

The five best performers for the U.S. will be highlighted in this slideshow. The players who made the cut had to be influential in most of the games, whether that was a goal, assist or a contribution to a clean sheet.

Here are the five American players who shined at the U20 World Cup.

Honorable Mentions

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Gedion Zelalem

Arsenal's Gedion Zelalem was added to the U.S. U20 World Cup squad just two weeks before the start of the tournament. Zelalem had never previously represented the United States at any level.

However, the 18-year-old almost seamlessly adjusted to his new team. Zelalem's technique, vision and quick thinking were on display in each of his starts. He also had one assist in the World Cup, which came against the host New Zealand.

There were questions about Zelalem's strength, but he's not a big player, so he's not going to be as physical as others. Besides, he's still a kid, so he could bulk up.

Zelalem is certainly a talented player with a bright future, but he failed to take control of a game. It's to be expected given that he just joined this group, but it keeps him out of the top five.

Rubio Rubin

Rubio Rubin excelled in the opening two group games but became invisible in the last three matches. However, the 19-year-old Utrecht forward was clearly affected by the injuries that plagued the team.

Maki Tall and Bradford Jamieson IV were both ruled out, which forced head coach Tab Ramos to use Rubin as a lone striker or partnered up front with Tommy Thompson.

If Tall and Jamieson were fit, Rubin would've been a beneficiary, but he still deserves a mention for his efforts in the Myanmar and New Zealand games.

5. Emerson Hyndman

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Fulham midfielder Emerson Hydman captained the U.S. U20 squad in New Zealand and was incredibly effective on set pieces.

Hyndman scored twice in the first two games but failed to get on the scoresheet against Ukraine, Colombia and Serbia. However, he was still creating chances via corners, free-kicks and on counterattacks.

The 19-year-old could be a vital part of the U.S. men's national team in a few years, with his vision and creativity in the final third. However, he needs to earn minutes with Fulham in order to be recognized by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

4. Paul Arriola

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Paul Arriola scored once in four appearances for the U.S., but he was contributing in other areas for the U.S. in New Zealand.

The 20-year-old's work rate was on full display in every match. He was dropping deep to the collect the ball, and he ran at defenders to open up space and showed composure on the ball. Arriola showed off the latter two qualities when he scored against New Zealand.

Arriola also provided the game-winning assist versus Colombia in the round of 16. He also saved a goal in the final moments of the game with a headed clearance off the goal line. Overall, it was a productive tournament for the Tijuana forward.

3. Matt Miazga

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New York Red Bulls defender Matt Miazga recently chose to represent the USA over Poland, where his parents were born. U.S. Soccer must be excited about Miazga's decision after the 19-year-old's excellent showing at the U20 World Cup.

Miazga played in all but one game for the U.S. due to suspension. The one match he missed was the 3-0 loss against Ukraine. The United States conceded just one goal with the Red Bulls center back in the starting lineup.

It's no surprise given how crucial Miazga was to the Americans' run to the quarterfinals. He always found himself in the right position to intercept a pass or block a shot. He was also unbeatable in the air.

Given how shaky the likes of John Brooks have looked with the U.S. men's national team, it wouldn't hurt to call up Miazga to the senior side in the near future.

2. Cameron Carter-Vickers

David Rowland/Associated Press

Tottenham Hotspur's Cameron Carter-Vickers was one day away from being eligible for the U.S.' under-17 squad, per Ives Galarcep of Goal.com. Despite being the youngest member on the team, Carter-Vickers was arguably the best outfield player for the United States.

The 17-year-old's positioning, speed and strength were all on display in the quarterfinal against Serbia. If it wasn't for him, the U.S. probably would've lost that game after 90 minutes.

Carter-Vickers will be eligible for the 2017 U20 World Cup squad in South Korea. With a couple more years of experience under his belt, he'll be even more dominant at that tournament.

1. Zack Steffen

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The United States' quarterfinal run was memorable, but it wouldn't have happened without the heroics of Zack Steffen's. The Freiburg goalkeeper made several key saves in every game, including the penalty save against Colombia in the round of 16.

Steffen built on that performance with another fantastic save off a free-kick against Serbia to preserve a 0-0 draw. He went on to stop two crucial penalties in the shootout to keep the U.S. alive.

Steffen has incredible confidence, command and shot-stopping abilities and he's still just 20 years old. He's definitely one of the top American goalkeeping prospects, if not, the No. 1 talent to watch for in the future.

Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @GalindoPW.