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List of Sounders called up for international duty

In total, 10 Sounders have been called into their national teams.

Soccer: 2016 Copa America Centenario-Uruguay at Jamaica John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

In the end, 10 Seattle Sounders were called up for international duty in June and July. That’s not the worst-case scenario — as many as 12 were in the running — but it does leave the Sounders short-handed for several games. At least nine of those players are expected to miss Wednesday’s game against the Montreal Impact, and many will miss several games beyond that. Here’s the full list:

  • Xavier Arreaga has been named to Ecuador’s final 23-man roster for the Copa America. Ecuador have pre-tournament friendlies against Venezuela (June 1) and Mexico (June 9) before kicking off Copa America group play against Uruguay on June 16, but it looks like won’t leave before the international window opens on June 3. Realistic scenario: With Kim Kee-hee likely out on June 1, he could make his starting debut as soon as that game, but he may not make another sounders start until July 14.
  • Raúl Ruidíaz has been named to Peru’s roster for the Copa America. Peru play pre-tournament friendlies against Costa Rica (June 5) and Colombia (June 9) and begin group play on June 15 against Venezuela. Realistic scenario: He misses at least two matches (June 5 and 29).
  • Román Torres has been named to Panama’s Gold Cup roster. Panama play pre-tournament friendlies against Colombia (June 1) and Uruguay (June 7) before starting group stage play on June 18 vs. Trinidad & Tobago. It’s believed that he’ll not join the team until after the FIFA window opens on June 3. Realistic scenario: He misses one matches (June 5).
  • Nicolas Lodeiro has been named to Uruguay’s Copa America roster and is expected to compete in the June 7 match against Panama. Realistic scenario: Counting the game he’ll miss due to yellow-card accumulation, he may miss as many as five matches (June 1, 5 and 29, July 3 and 6).
  • Cristian Roldan has been named to United States’ 23-man roster ahead of the Gold Cup. Realistic scenario: He misses as many as five matches (June 1, 5, 29 and July 3 and 6).
  • Jordan Morris has been named to the USA’s 23-man roster ahead of the Gold Cup, but his recent injury casts his final inclusion into a degree of doubt. Realistic scenario: He probably misses the June 1 and 5 matches regardless, either through injury or call-up. If it’s through injury, he’d also miss the May 26 match but almost certainly be back for the June 29 match. If it’s due to call-up, there’s at least an outside chance he could be back for May 26, but that feels very optimistic.
  • Gustav Svensson has been called into Sweden’s team for their June 7 Euro Qualifier. He only just returned from a four-game absence due to a hamstring injury, but that didn’t keep him from getting the call. Realistic scenario: He’ll likely be able to play for the Sounders on June 1, but he’ll almost certainly miss the June 5 match.
  • Brad Smith has been called into Australia’s friendly against South Korea on June 7. Realistic scenario: He misses one game (June 5).
  • Kim Kee-hee has not been called into South Korea’s friendlies, after all. Unfortunately, he’s also picked up an injury and it’s unclear how serious it is. Realistic scenario: He misses one game (June 1) and possibly more depending on the severity of his injury.
  • Joevin Jones has been named to Trinidad & Tobago’s preliminary Gold Cup roster and is apparently in Montreal. Realistic scenario: He misses just one match (June 29), is available on July 3 (at New York City FC) and makes his starting debut on July 6 (at Columbus Crew).
  • Nouhou was not called into Cameroon’s U23 team, after all. Realistic scenario: He will not miss any games due to international duty.
  • Jordy Delem has been named to Maritinque’s Gold Cup roster. Realistic scenario: He misses no games, but he could miss as many as two (June 5, 29). Martinique don’t appear to have any pre-Gold Cup friendlies, so he might stick around through June 5 (although the FIFA window opens on June 3, at which point he can be forced away). They’re in a pretty weak group, though, with Mexico, Canada and Cuba and could sneak into the quarterfinals which would cause him to miss the June 29 match.

Other concerns

Aside from the 10 players called in, Victor Rodriguez has still not returned from his hamstring injury. It does appear that he at least traveled with the team to Montreal, so may feature in that game.

The bottom line

The Sounders had plenty of talent on hand for their June 1 match against FC Dallas — not that it did much good — but are going to severely short-handed for Wednesday’s game at the Montreal impact. Delem is the only international with much hope of being around. Even including Homegrown Players Danny Leyva and Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez are available, the best-case scenario is that they’ll have 14 field players available for the match. If the Sounders end up with just 13 eligible players, they’d be allowed to make a “hardship signing” from the USL.

By June 29, though, the Sounders should be in a bit better shape. Rodriguez, Smith, Kim, Nouhou, Svensson and at least one of Torres or Jones should be available by then. By July 3, the only players who are likely to be out are Arreaga, Roldan, Morris (assuming he goes), Lodeiro and Ruidíaz. Another player or two could rejoin them ahead of the July 6 match, and by July 14 — when they return home for Atlanta United — the Sounders should be at full strength.

Potentially available players (18)

Defenders (5): Kelvin Leerdam, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Jonathan Campbell, Nouhou, Kim

Midfielders (8): Harry Shipp, Handwalla Bwana, Leyva, Henry Wingo, Alex Roldan, Rodriguez, Delem, Jones

Forward (2): Will Bruin, Ocampo-Chavez

Goalkeepers (3): Stefan Frei, Trey Muse, Bryan Meredith

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