BY THE TIME JORDAN ALLEN arrived in Australia the United States men's under-20 national team had already defeated Australia's U-20 team, 2-1, in a World Cup prep contest. 

Allen, 20, had a very good excuse for his tardiness: On Saturday he started for Real Salt Lake in its match against the Montreal Impact. Formerly a bubble player on Tab Ramos' U-20 World Cup squad, Allen is on an impressive run of form and is likely to see important minutes in the New Zealand tournament.

Allen scored the game-winning goal on March 30 against Toronto and was key player in the club's 2-1 away win over Chicago on May 9. In addition to that strike, the versatile five-foot-eleven athlete has two assists across 10 appearances this season, five of which were starts.

Despite these solid numers, it was Allen's strong showing at the U-20 team’s final camp in Austria that tipped the scales in his favor.

“I think once I got there in Austria and I talked to Tab and he told me what he wanted from me—to be aggressive and try to be one of the main guys—I made sure I did that," Allen told American Soccer Now. "I got on the ball as much as I could. From the first day I got there, I felt really sharp. It carried throughout the week into the last game against Croatia.

"Leaving camp, I thought I was one of the better players there. It was probably the first time I left a camp really confident that I should be at the next camp.”

The World Cup is especially meaningful for Allen after the rocky year he has endured. Last year he began his rookie season as a homegrown signing for Real Salt Lake and he was impressing with the U.S. U-20 team early in the cycle. Almost instantly, however, his knee was in discomfort and the team scheduled a precautionary MRI.

The results were devastating. Allen was advised to undergo microfracture surgery, a procedure that has resulted in mixed results for professional athletes. Dr. Kevin Stone, a Harvard-trained orthopedic surgeon and head of the Stone Clinic that treats athletes, cautions against the procedure on his website.

“Microfracture is a surgical technique used to repair damaged articular cartilage by making multiple small holes in the surface of the joint to stimulate a healing response. The technique is frequently used in athletes after they injure their joints. While short-term results may often look promising, results often tend to deteriorate over time.”

Not all doctors agree with Stone. Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, an orthopedic surgeon and co-chair of medical affairs at the Institute for Sports Sciences in Los Angeles, and Dr. Walt Lowe, head physician for the NFL's Houston Texans and NBA's Houston Rockets, both perform the procedure. Mandelbaum, however, admits that only two-thirds of the procedures are successful.

Friday will mark the one-year anniversary since Allen had the surgery. 

“I wasn’t even really aware of what microfracture surgery was until right before I was told I needed to get it,” Allen said. “Once I looked it up, it was just horror story after horror story online. It was definitely something I was afraid of going into it. But I really made sure I followed everything in the recovery protocol and I made sure I wasn’t rushing back. I didn’t start jogging until mid-December. Once I could do stuff, I was working about as hard as I ever have because this U-20 World Cup was really my goal from the beginning. So I wanted to make sure I would get my opportunity.

“I probably feel better now than I did before the surgery,” he added. “Going through the rehab allows you to focus on things you normally wouldn’t have. I gained a little bit more muscle and I am probably faster now than I was before just because I put so much work into doing explosive exercises.”

One thing is for sure: the U.S U-20 team is happy to have him back. Allen is a versatile player who can help the team in many areas. While he is not playing the fullback role which he occasionally did with Real Salt Lake before the surgery, he is playing effectively in the attack where he can use his speed to get by defenders.

For both Real Salt Lake and the U.S. U-20 team, Allen has been playing both on the outside of a midfield diamond or even as a second forward which he played for 80 minutes in the U.S U-20 win over Croatia in April.

“I think that bodes well,” Allen said. “I’ve been playing better since I’ve been able to get some consistent time further up the field.”

Rubio Rubin, one of the leaders on the U.S. U-20 team, believes Allen's return could make a huge difference to the squad.

“When I first met Jordan Allen, it was my first U-18 camp,” Rubin said. “From the very first day we did a possession drill, all I can remember saying is, ‘Wow, his skill is on point!’ Every touch he took was unbelievable. He could beat a player, he could turn on players, and he had such quick feet. I was like, 'Wow this kid is really good.’

“He’s a mentor to me,” Rubin added. “When someone works hard, it makes me want to work hard. He unfortunately picked up that injury but just to see that comeback is great. I’m really happy for him and I am looking forward to being back with him on the field again.”

Allen watched the U.S. U-20 team struggle through World Cup qualifying in January and says it was a “stressful” experience to watch on television and not be able to help. He is beyond eager to get on the field and try to make a difference. 

“We have technical players that will want to be on the ball,” Allen said. “I think we’ll see a lot of possession and a lot of positive play. I think that bodes well for us getting out of the group and making a push."

Brian Sciaretta is an American Soccer Now columnist and an ASN 100 panelist. Follow him on Twitter.