Canada Soccer announced on Friday that seven Whitecaps FC players have been called into a Men’s EXCEL U-17 camp in Montréal, Québec from July 31 to August 10. The 11-day national camp will continue Canada’s preparations for the upcoming 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil in October and November of this year. This will mark the first national camp since the Official Draw earlier this month.
Included on the roster are six 'Caps who
helped Canada qualify for the World Cup at the Concacaf Championship
in May: centre backs
Nathan Demian
and
Gianfranco Facchineri
, right back
Deylen Vellios
, as well as midfielder
Damiano Pecile
and forward
Kam Habibullah
from the Development Squad and first team midfielder
Simon Colyn
. Joining the 'Caps contingent will be Development Squad midfielder
Emiliano Brienza
.
“We have important work ahead of us in preparation for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019, but we will also stay the course in developing our tactical ID,” said Andrew Olivieri, Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL U-14 to U-17 program director. “The camp in Canada allows us to address the gaps we identified during our qualifying campaign while also assessing a few new players who have been impactful in their club environments. From here, the next few months will allow us to focus in on each opponent while certainly not looking past the incredible opportunity of an opening match against Brazil.”
At the FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019, Canada will face Brazil on October 26 in the tournament’s Opening Match, Angola on October 29 and New Zealand on November 1. All three matches will be played at the Bezerrão in Brasilia. The Knockout Phase runs from November 5 through to the Final on November 17.
Canada qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019 after winning 4-3 on kicks from the penalty mark over Concacaf rivals Costa Rica on May 12 at the Concacaf Championship. After 120 minutes in the Florida heat with no winner from a 1-1 draw, Canada won their ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in six years.
“The big objective was to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup and we have done which will now allow us to accelerate the development for the players in this age group,” said Olivieri. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but to be in this position after our first cycle of NEX-PRO Integration strategies and Regional EXCEL visits is exciting for what the future holds for Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team Program. It speaks volumes for what we can achieve as a country when we work so hard together.”
This marks the seventh time that Canada advances to the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the biennial competition that was initially launched as the FIFA U-16 World Tournament in 1985. Canada were the second hosts of the competition in 1987.
CANADA SOCCER’S MEN’S EXCEL PROGRAM
Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program channels our nation’s exceptional players into the best soccer environments. The Canada Soccer Pathway works in collaboration with our provincial and territory partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. For Canada’s elite players, the program emphasizes player development on the pathway to representing Canada’s Men’s National Team in international soccer.
MEN’S EXCEL PROGRAM U-14 to U-23 :
https://www.canadasoccer.com/men-s-u-14-to-u-17-p144317
Canada Soccer's Men's National Youth Teams have won two CONCACAF titles: both the 1986 and 1996 CONCACAF Men's Youth Championships. Canada have now qualified for 15 FIFA men's youth tournaments: eight editions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup and seven editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
CANADA
GK- Benjamin Collins | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
GK- Eleias Himaras | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
GK- Marc Kouadio | USA / Montverde Academy
CB- Maxime Bourgeois | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
CB- Nathan Demian | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
CB- Gianfranco Facchineri | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
CB- Oluwaseun Oyegunle | CAN / Sigma FC
FB- Keesean Ferdinand | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
FB- Kobe Franklin | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
FB- Rohan Goulbourne | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
FB- Deylen Vellios | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
M- Julian Altobelli | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Matt Catavolo | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
M- Simon Colyn | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M- Tomas Giraldo | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
M- Deandre Kerr | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Damiano Pecile | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
M- Ralph Priso-Mbongue | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Sean Rea | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
M- Emiliano Brienza | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
F- Kamron Habibullah | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
F- Jayden Nelson | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
F- Jérémie Omeonga Nkoy | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
F- Jacen Russell-Rowe | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
F- Mouhamadou Kane | CAN / Académie Impact de Montréal
