Two Atlanta United academy players are part of the next chapter of the U.S. Men's National Team U-17 team. In the first roster since the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, defender George Bello and forward Danny Mangarov have been named in the 24-player list for the 2017 Men’s Nike International Friendlies in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. that runs from Nov. 29-Dec. 3.
From Nov. 24-Nov. 28 the team will participate in a pre-tournament training camp, giving Hackworth additional opportunities to evaluate players before narrowing the roster down to 20. The four players not selected to the final roster will likely play for their Academy club during the 2017 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase, taking place simultaneously at the Premier Sports Campus, from Nov. 30-Dec. 10.
“To begin the new U-17 cycle with the Nike International Friendlies competing against traditional world powers is a big challenge,” Hackworth said. “However, our staff has evaluated these young men, most recently at the CONCACAF U-15 Championship, and we are all looking forward to the chance to work with this talented group.”
U.S. U-17 MNT 2017 Nike International Friendlies Preliminary Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Khamari Culcleasure (D.C. United; Alexandria, Va.), John Tyler Harms (Shattuck- Saint Mary’s; Whitefish Bay, Wisc.), Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Norridge, Ill.), Kashope Oladapo (Portland Timbers; Happy Valley, Ore.)
DEFENDERS (7): Axel Alejandre (FC United Soccer Club; Chicago, Ill.), Sebastian Anderson (Colorado Rapids; Highlands Ranch, Co.), George Bello (Atlanta United FC; Douglasville, Ga.), Mitchell Eise (Sporting Kansas City; Springfield, Mo.), Mason Judge (Chargers Soccer Club; Tampa, Fla.), Kenneth Nielsen (Pateadores; Irvine, Calif.), Joseph Scally (New York City FC; Lake Grove, N.Y.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Joshua Atencio (Seattle Sounders FC; Bellevue, Wash.), Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; Greenboro, NC), Adam Saldana (Real So Cal; Panorama City, Calif.), Gilbert Fuentes Perez (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.), Maximillian Goeggel (VFB Stuttgart; San Francisco, Calif.), Peter Stroud (New York Red Bulls; Chester, NJ)
FORWARDS (7): Julian Gaines (Lonestar Soccer Club; Austin, Tex.), Cade Hagan (Sockers FC; Naperville, Ill.), Diego Lopez (FC Golden State; Chino, Calif.), Daniel Mangarov (Atlanta United FC; Duluth, Ga.), Alfonso Ocampo Chavez (Seattle Sounders FC; Fresno, Calif.), Dante Sealy (FC Dallas; Frisco, Tex.), Ray Serrano (Seattle Sounders FC; Graham, Wash.)
The USA’s schedule of international opponents for the 2017 rendition of the tournament opens vs. England on Nov. 29 (7 p.m. ET) followed by matches against Netherlands on Dec. 1 (7 p.m. ET) and Brazil on Dec. 3 (5 p.m. ET). All the tournament games will be played at Premier Sports Campus and can be seen live on ussoccer.com.
2017 Men's Nike International Friendlies Schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 29
Brazil vs. Netherlands, 3:30 p.m. ET
USA vs. England, 7 p.m. ET
Friday, Dec. 1
England vs. Brazil, 3:30 p.m. ET
USA vs. Netherlands, 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 3
Netherlands vs. England, 1:30 p.m. ET
USA vs. Brazil, 5 p.m. ET
The players who will make up the new U-17 MNT player pool (birth year 2002 or later) competed as U-15 Boys’ National Team during 2016 and all of 2017 until this tournament. Like any U-17 Men’s National Team at the beginning of their cycle, the players and staff now set their focus on the 2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, where the top four teams will qualify for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
