Charlotte FC Academy U-17 player, Brian Romero, has been called up to the U-17 Men’s Youth National Team to compete in the UEFA Development Tournament. The U.S. Under-17 Men’s Youth National Team will take on Italy, Belgium, and Portugal at the tournament in Castelo Branco, Portugal from May 1-11.
Head coach Gonzalo Segares has called up 20 players for the training camp. Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2006, are age-eligible for this tournament and the 2022-23 U-17 MYNT cycle, which culminates with the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru. The roster features 18 players born in 2006 and two born in 2007 – Lyon midfielder Axel Perez and Houston Dynamo forward Ezekiel Soto.
U.S. U-17 MYNT ROSTER BY POSITION - UEFA DEVELOPMENT TOURNAMENT
GOALKEEPERS (2): Inigo Esmanech (Hellas Verona/ITA), Diego Kochen (Barcelona/ESP)
DEFENDERS (6): Riley Dalgado (LA Galaxy), Christian Diaz (LAFC), Tyler Hall (Inter Miami), Aiden Harangi (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Stuart Hawkins (Seattle Sounders), Oscar Verhoeven (San Jose Earthquakes)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Brian Romero (Charlotte FC), Cruz Medina (San Jose Earthquakes), Edwyn Mendoza (San Jose Earthquakes), Axel Perez (Lyon), Pedro Soma (UE Cornella/ESP), Jude Wellings (Real Salt Lake)
FORWARDS (6): Fidel Barajas (San Jose Earthquakes), Micah Burton (Austin FC), Andre Gitau (Houston Dynamo), Paulo Rudisill (LA Galaxy), Ezekiel Soto (Houston Dynamo), Adrian Wibowo (LAFC)* U.S. U-17 MYNT SCHEDULE - UEFA DEVELOPMENT TOURNAMENT*
Thursday, May 5 - USA vs. Italy - 9 a.m. ET - Estadio Antonio Coelho Trigueiros de Aragão; Alcains, Portugal
Saturday, May 7 - USA vs. Belgium - 9 a.m. ET; Estádio Municipal de Idanha-a-Nova; Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal
Tuesday, May 10 - USA vs. Portugal - 12 p.m. ET; Estádio Municipal Vale do Romeiro; Castelo Branco, Portugal
The team will follow U.S. Soccer’s comprehensive Return to Play protocols during the event. The Federation is requiring all staff and players be fully vaccinated in order to attend YNT training camps. As a leader in the sport, the health and safety of all participants is the top priority for U.S. Soccer.
Last month, the U-17 MYNT traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina for friendlies against Argentina and Uruguay, a 1-2 loss and 2-1 win, respectively. This marks the fourth training camp of the U-17 cycle after the team previously gathered domestically last October and January.
Four players make their first appearance with the U-17 MYNT: goalkeeper Inigo Esmanech, defender Aiden Harangi, midfielder Axel Perez and forward Adrian Wibowo. Seven players have appeared in all four of the team’s training camps.
The U-17 MYNT is preparing for its return to international competition after the 2021 Concacaf U-17 Championship and 2021 FIFA U-17 World Cup were canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The last cycle of U-17s played their first and only international matches at a UEFA Development Tournament in England in February 2020.
Fifteen clubs are represented on the roster, including 10 from Major League Soccer. The most players come from the San Jose Earthquakes (four), while two players each were called from LA Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo. Five players are based abroad in Spain (two), France, Germany, and Italy (one each).
