SAN JOSE, Calif. – Two Quakes Academy players were called up to the United States U15 Men’s National Team ahead of their participation in the Torneo delle Nazioni that will take place at several venues across Austria, Italy and Slovenia from April 25 – May 1. Quakes Academy midfielders Owen Anderson and Rohan Rajagopal are among the 20 players called by head coach Tom Heinemann for the 12-team tournament. Only the New York Red Bulls (3) are sending more players to the U15s than San Jose.
Placed in Group B, the USA will face Slovenia on Monday, April 25 (8 a.m. PT) and Belgium on Wednesday, April 27 (9 a.m. PT). Both matches will be streamed, with USA-Slovenia available via to-be-announced Slovenian FA platforms and USA-Belgium broadcast by the tournament organizers.
Following pool play, the USA will play two more games as part of a four-team bracket with teams that finished in the same place in the group stage. The placement semifinals are set for Friday, April 29 and finals on Sunday, May 1.
U.S. U15 MYNT ROSTER BY POSITION - TORNEO DELLE NAZIONI
GOALKEEPERS (2): Zackory Campagnolo (Orlando City SC; Kissimmee, Fla.), Patryk Stechnij (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.)
DEFENDERS (6): Davi Alexandre (New York Red Bulls; New York City, N.Y.), Scott Chavira (Santa Cruz Breakers; San Jose, Calif.), Michael Cortellessa (FC Dallas; Prosper, Texas), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia Union; Lebanon, Pa.), Luis Rivera (Real Salt Lake; Herriman, Utah), Jeremiah White (NY Red Bulls; Elkins Park, Pa.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Owen Anderson (San Jose Earthquakes; San Rafael, Calif.), Kyrome Lumsden (LAFC; Lakewood, Calif.), Santiago Morales (Inter Miami CF; Weston, Fla.), Rohan Rajagopal (San Jose Earthquakes; Los Altos, Calif.), Nathan Worth (New York Red Bulls; Chester, N.J.)
FORWARDS (7): Nimfasha Berchimas (Charlotte FC; High Point, N.C.), Grayson Carter (Portland Timbers; Boise, Idaho), Caden Glover (Saint Louis City SC; Columbia, Ill.), Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake; Eagle Mountain, Utah), Bryce Outman (FC Dallas; Fairview, Texas), Ruben Ramos (LA Galaxy; La Puenta, Calif.), Gavin Turner (D.C. United; Fairfax, Va.)
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.
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2007 are age-eligible for the U15 MYNT this year. Heinemann has called up 19 players born in 2007 and one born in 2008- Charlotte FC forward Nimfasha Berchimas.
The team previously gathered for domestic training camps in January and February, as seven players have appeared in all three U-15 events this year. Four are making their U-15 MYNT debut this year: goalkeeper Patryk Stechnij, defenders Davi Alexandre and Scott Chavira plus forward Caden Glover.
Launched in 2004, this year marks the 18th edition of the Torneo delle Nazioni as the competition returns in full force after playing a reduced four-team tournament last year. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the USA had participated in the last three editions of the Torneo delle Nazioni in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2017, current senior USMNT players George Bello, Gianluca Busio, Joe Scally and Gio Reyna helped the U.S. take home the tournament title, with Scally and Reyna netting goals in the tournament final vs. England. Goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina backstopped the USA at the 2019 tournament before receiving his first two senior team call-ups over the last six months.
The roster’s 20 players are based at 15 clubs, including 14 MLS academies. Three players come from the New York Red Bulls, while two each play for FC Dallas, the San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake. The lone non-MLS player is defender Scott Chavira from the Santa Cruz Breakers. Players hail from 11 states, led by five from California.
Many players called to this camp were involved in BioSteel YNT Regional Identification Centers last spring, one-day training sessions that bring together top players in their home regions.
With the launch of U.S. Soccer’s YNT U14 Talent ID program in 2019, the U15 USMNT cycle lasts only one year. The biannual Concacaf Boys’ U15 Championship is next set to be contested in 2023.
