SAN JOSE, Calif. –San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Gilbert Fuentes, a product of the Quakes Academy, has been called to the United States U-17 National Team to participate in the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship held in Bradenton, Florida.
Following a week-long preparation camp (April 25 – May 1), the United States will aim to qualify for a record 17th World Cup at this age level by reaching the semifinals.
The tournament, which runs May 2-16, will see the United States playing against Canada (May 2; 3 p.m. PT), Barbados (May 4; 1 p.m. PT) and Guatemala (May 6; 3 p.m. PT) in the group stage. The knockout round begins on May 9 and the championship takes place on May 16.
All three of the USA’s group-stage games will be broadcast on Univision Deportes Network and the Concacaf GO app, available on iTunes, Google Play and online.
Fuentes, 17, has been a regular with the U.S. Youth National Team system, previously competing for the U-15s, U-16s and U-17s. After competing extensively with the U-15s in 2017, including at the Concacaf U-15 Championship, Fuentes received his first call-up to the U.S. U-17s in November 2017 for the Men’s Nike International Friendlies. He also received a call-up to U.S. Soccer’s first-ever Men’s YNT Summit Camp in December 2017.
The Tracy, Calif. native joined the Quakes as a 15-year-old Homegrown Player on Jan. 28, 2018, becoming the team’s youngest-ever signing at the time. During his rookie season, he became the youngest player to feature for the club in MLS play at 16 years and eight months. Fuentes has tallied one assist in two starts for the Quakes’ USL affiliate Reno 1868 FC so far in 2019.
2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship Roster by Position (Club; Hometown; U-17 Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Norridge, Ill.; 13/0), 12-Chituru Odunze (Vancouver Whitecaps FC/CAN; Calgary, Alta.; 4/0)
DEFENDERS (7): 4-Axel Alejandre (FC United; Chicago, Ill.; 14/0), 3-Adam Armour (North Carolina FC; Cary, N.C.; 11/0), 13-Mauricio Cuevas (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.; 2/0), 14-Tayvon Gray (New York City FC; Bronx, N.Y.; 10/0), 5-Kobe Hernandez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.; 14/1), 2-Joseph Scally (New York City FC; Lake Grove, N.Y.; 14/1), 15-John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.; 3/0)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 7-Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; Greensboro, N.C.; 7/2), 20-Gilbert Fuentes (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.; 13/0), 8-Bryang Kayo (D.C. United; Poolesville, Md.; 0/0), 6-Daniel Leyva (Seattle Sounders FC; Las Vegas, Nev.; 0/0), 16-Adam Saldana (LA Galaxy; Panorama City, Calif.; 17/1)
FORWARDS (6): 18-Jack de Vries (Philadelphia Union; Wayne, Pa.; 0/0), 17-Tyler Freeman (Sporting Kansas City; Shawnee, Kan.; 3/1), 19-Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez (Tacoma Defiance; Kent, Wash.; 14/5), 9-Ricardo Pepi (North Texas SC; McKinney, Texas; 6/1), 10-Giovanni Reyna (Unattached; Bedford, N.Y.; 8/1), 11-Griffin Yow (D.C. United; Clifton, Va.; 6/3)
