CHICAGO (Sept. 15, 2017) – U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team head coach John Hackworth has called 23 players to take part in a five-day training camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. from Sept. 19-24.
The camp will be Hackworth’s final opportunity to bring the U-17 player pool together before deciding on a final 21-man roster for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The camp marks the fourth domestic gathering for the U-17 MNT since they qualified for the World Cup at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship. Twenty of the 23 players are returning from the team’s most recent 25-player camp, which also took place in Bradenton.
The U.S. is set to kick off against host India on opening night of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup on October 6, followed by Group Stage matches with Ghana on Oct. 9 and Colombia on Oct. 12. The first two games will be played at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, while the third will be played at Dr. DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
READ MORE: USA Draws India, Ghana and Colombia in Group A of 2017 U-17 World Cup
Of the 23 players brought into camp, 20 have registered at least one season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. All but five were born in 2000: Taylor Booth, Bryan Reynolds Jr., Ulysses Llanez and Indiana Vassilev were each born in 2001, while George Bello was born in 2002.
Sixteen of the players on the roster were part of the team that finished second at the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, which serves as the qualifying tournament for the U-17 World Cup.
READ MORE: U-17 MNT Falls to Mexico 5-4 in Penalty Kicks After 1-1 Draw in CONCACAF Championship Final
This group of players is nearing the end of its two-year cycle and will move up to the U-19 age group upon the conclusion of the U-17 World Cup.
Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Alex Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Carlos Joaquim Dos Santos (S.L. Benfica; Philadelphia, Penn. ), Justin Garces (Atlanta United FC; Miami, Fla.)
DEFENDERS (9): George Bello (Atlanta United FC, Douglasville, Ga.), Sergino Dest (Ajax; Almere-stad, Netherlands), Christopher Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.), Christopher Gloster (New York Red Bulls; Montclair, N.J.), Jaylin Lindsey (Sporting Kansas City; Charlotte, N.C.), James Sands (New York City FC; Rye, N.Y.), Tyler Shaver (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Akil Watts (Portland Timbers, Fort Wayne, Ind.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): George Acosta (North Carolina FC; Hollywood, Fla.), Taylor Booth (Real Salt Lake; Eden, Utah), Blaine Ferri (Solar Soccer Club; Southlake, Texas), Chris Goslin (Atlanta United FC; Locust Grove, Ga.), Alex Mendez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Indiana Vassilev (Unattached; Savannah, Ga.)
FORWARDS (6): Ayo Akinola (Toronto FC; Brampton Ont.), Andrew Carleton (Atlanta United FC; Powder Springs, Ga.), Ulysses Llanez (LA Galaxy; Lynwood, Calif.), Jacobo Reyes (C.F. Monterrey; Houston, Texas), Bryan Reynolds (FC Dallas; Little Elm, Texas), Joshua Sargent (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O'Fallon, Mo.)
