Timbers U-23s Eric Miller called up to U.S. U-20 National Team

PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Timbers U-23s defender/midfielder Eric Miller has been called up by the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team for the upcoming 2013 Toulon Tournament in Toulon, France, it was announced today by U.S. Soccer.

Led by head coach Tab Ramos, the U.S. U-20 National Team opens play in the Toulon Tournament on Tuesday, May 28, against France at Stade Léo-Lagrange at 10:30 a.m. (Pacific). The United States is one of 10 countries participating in the 41st edition of the tournament and will compete in Group A against Colombia, Congo DR, South Korea and host France.

The group stage features four games, after which the group winners face each other in the championship match and the group runners-up meet in the third-place game on Saturday, June 8.

“It is a huge honor to be called up to play for your country and I’m excited to make my last push before the U-20 World Cup to try to earn a spot on the roster before the team heads to Turkey,” said Miller. “The tournament should be really good preparation to really figure out where we are at heading into the World Cup.”

Miller (Woodbury, Minn.) is one of 13 players on the U.S. U-20 National Team roster for the Toulon Tournament that helped the United States take second place at the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in early March in Puebla, Mexico. He will depart Friday for national team duty.

Miller has been a member of the U.S. U-20 National Team since 2012. He started against the Costa Rica U-20 National Team during the recent CONCACAF U-20 Championship, helping the United States qualify for the upcoming 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2012, he was called up for the Northern Ireland Milk Cup, the Marbella Cup and a series of friendlies, earning seven caps last year.

In his second season with the Timbers U-23s, Miller has helped the team open the 2013 Premier Development League season with a 2-0-0 record, tallying a goal against Sounders FC U-23 on May 16. He also aided in the Timbers U-23s win over the Sacramento Gold in the first round of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on May 14. Miller was member of the Timbers U-23s squad in 2012 that reached the PDL’s Western Conference semifinal.

Miller is entering his junior season at Creighton University, where he is an all-conference player and has helped the school reach the NCAA College Cup in back-to-back seasons.

The U.S. U-20 National Team kicks off the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which runs June 21-July 13, against Spain on Friday, June 21, at Türk Telekom Arena in Istanbul, Turkey.