US Under-17 national team head coach Wilmer Cabrera has called in 24 players for an 11-day training trip to Mexico in preparation for this summer's U-17 World Cup.
The squad will arrive in Querétaro on April 22 and will battle the World Cup hosts on their turf for two friendlies on April 27 and May 1.
LA Galaxy Home Grown player Jack McBean is the sole professional on the roster but Major League Soccer academies are well represented. Kellyn Acosta and Fernando Laverde hail from the FC Dallas Juniors system, while Fernando Piña (Houston Dynamo), Andrew Souders (Crew Soccer Academy), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy), Kyle McIntosh (San Jose Earthquakes) and Kellen Gulley (MS Chicago Fire Juniors) are also part of the academy program.
The 24-man group includes a number of stars from the CONCACAF Championship including back-liner Mobi Fehr; midfielders Matt Dunn, Marc Pelosi, Alejandro Guido and Esteban Rodriguez; and forwards Alfred Koroma and Mario Rodriguez.
The US are one of 24 teams that will participate in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico from June 18 through July 10. Here's the full list of Cabrera's squad for its training trip:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Wade Hamilton (Arsenal FC; Murietta, Calif.), Kendall McIntosh (San Jose Earthquakes Academy; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Fernando Piña (Houston Dynamo; Houston)
DEFENDERS (8): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas Juniors; Plano, Texas), Joe Amon (South Carolina United FC; Summerville, S.C.), Zach Carroll (Vardar; Grand Blanc, Mich.), Mobi Fehr (Tokyo Verdy 1969; Tokyo), Alessandro Mion (Kendall SC; Miami, Fla.), Reed Norton (Concorde Fire; Evans, Ga.), Nathan Smith (Cal Odyssey; Clovis, Calif.), Andrew Souders (Crew Soccer Academy; Amherst, Ohio)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Matt Dunn (FC Köln; Dallas), Alejandro Guido (Aztecs Premier; Chula Vista, Calif.), Fernando Laverde (FC Dallas Juniors; Cali, Colombia), Nico Melo (Florida Rush; Kissimmee, Fla.), Marc Pelosi (De Anza Force; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Esteban Rodriguez (Cosmos Academy West; Palmdale, Calif.), Tarik Salkicic (Strictly Soccer; Pinellas Park, Fla.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy; Brighton, Colo.), Colton Storm (HMMS Eagle FC; Mechanicsburg, Pa.)
FORWARDS (4): Kellen Gulley (MS Chicago Fire Juniors; Clinton, Miss.), Alfred Koroma (Solar Chelsea FC; Arlington, Texas), Jack McBean (LA Galaxy; Newport Beach, Calif.), Mario Rodriguez (Central Aztecs; North Hollywood, Calif.)
Noah Davis covers the United States men's national team for MLSsoccer.com. Follow him on Twitter at @noahedavis.
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