Columbus Crew News: Seven Players Called Up For National Team Duty

By Mariana Smithfield

COLUMBUS  Columbus Crew defender Mohamed Farsi (Algeria), goalkeepers Nicholas Hagen (Guatemala) and Patrick Schulte (United States), forward Cucho Hernández (Colombia) and midfielder Taha Habroune (United States Under-20s) have been called-up to represent their respective nations in the current FIFA international window. Additionally, Crew Academy midfielder Zach Zalewski and forward Jamil Danjaji will join their Men’s Youth National Teams.

Hernández joins Colombia for a pair of CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualifying matches. Los Cafeteros first travel to face Bolivia at Estadio Municipal El Alto on Oct. 10 before hosting Chile at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla on Oct. 15. The 25-year-old has two goals in four caps for Colombia.

Cucho ranks fifth in Club history with 58 goals across all competitions, propelled by a career-best 19 scored in MLS play this season while amassing 13 assists. This season, Hernández has recorded 20 goals and 15 assists in 24 matches across all competitions since the Concacaf Champions Cup final on June 2. He has also posted 29 goals and 15 assists in his last 35 MLS regular season matches. He has registered 41 goals and 64 goal contributions in his last 55 appearances across all competitions. Additionally, Hernández has notched a goal in each of his last five regular season matches, totaling nine goal contributions over the stretch (six goals, three assists).

Farsi joins Algeria for a doubleheader against Togo in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying. Algeria host Les Éperviers on Oct. 10 at the Stade du 19 Mai 1956 in Annaba, before the road leg on Oct. 14 at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé.

Farsi earned his first cap for Les Fennecs on Sept. 10, playing 76 minutes and earning one assist in a 3-0 win over Liberia in Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying play. In 2024, he has made 27 MLS appearances (21 starts), tallying four goals and five assists.

Hagen joins Guatemala for a pair of 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League, League A fixtures. Los Chapines travel to face Guyana on Oct. 11 at the Synthetic Track and Field Facility in Leonora and Costa Rica on Oct. 15 at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San José.

Possessing 45 caps for Guatemala, Hagen most recently started Guatemala’s Concacaf Nations League match against Costa Rica on Sept. 10, earning a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw.

Schulte and the U.S. Men’s National Team play two international friendlies this window: vs. Panama at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Oct. 12 and vs. Mexico at the Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico on Oct. 15.

Schulte recently represented the USMNT in their friendly against Canada on Sept. 7 at Children’s Mercy Park, his second international appearance. The goalkeeper was a member of the United States’ 2024 Paris Olympics team, where he started all four matches and became the first active MLS player to record a shutout at the Olympics as the Americans reached their first knockout-round berth in 24 years. Schulte made his senior debut on Jan. 20 earlier this year, starting against Slovenia at Toyota Field in San Antonio in a match that also featured Crew Homegrown midfielder Sean Zawadzki and defender DeJuan Jones in the starting XI.

Habroune joins the U.S. U-20 team for a pair of international friendlies against Chile. The U-20s face Chile on Oct. 12 and Oct. 15 during a training camp in Santiago from Oct. 7-15. Both matches will be played at Complejo Deportivo Quilin, Chile’s national training center. The USA are continuing their preparations the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

The rookie Homegrown midfielder most recently represented the U.S. in their 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship campaign in Mexico. He played in all six of the U-20’s matches (three starts), notching one goal and two assists.

Additionally, Crew Academy midfielder Zach Zalewski joins the Polish Under-16 Men’s Youth National Team for a training camp in Świebodzin, Poland, before travelling to face Germany in a doubleheader on Oct. 11 and 14 at the Stadion auf dem Wurfplatz in Berlin. Forward Jamil Danjaji joins the U.S. Under-15 Men’s Youth National Team for a training camp in Florida from Oct. 13-19.

 

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