10 Young Phenoms to Keep an Eye On in the U-17 Age Group

With the start of the Generation Adidas Cup on March 30, we will have several of the best U-17 prospects in the world in this event that will feature 49 teams from 15 different countries. Philadelphia Union won the last U-17 edition and some of its players are already professional players such as CJ Olney, David Vazquez, and Andrew Rick, among others. Some outstanding international players such as Finley McAllister from Manchester United participated in the last U-17 edition of the GA Cup, and in each event, there will be more and better prospects at a national and international level. Now, this is our list of players to watch in the Generation Adidas Cup U-17:

Ryan Roberto 2008 // Forward // Flamengo (Brazil): Ryan Roberto has been one of Flamengo's best U-17 players so far. A very skilled and explosive winger who is characterized by great 1v1 dribbling and direct play. He was called to the Brazilian national U-15 team being one of the key players and won the last edition of the Flamengo Adidas Cup where he faced teams such as Santos Laguna, Arsenal FC, and Orlando City, among others.

Felipe Esquivel 2008 // Forward // River Plate (Argentina): Esquivel is considered in Argentina one of the next big names in the River Plate academy. A very fast forward with great ball control, Esquivel has been characterized by a great 1v1 game and imbalance on the wing. He has recently been called up to the Argentina U-17 youth national team and won with River Plate the 2023 Hooray Cup in China.

Austyn Jones 2008 // Forward // PSV (Netherlands): Jones will be a name to follow; the young Dutch-American forward is one of the great prospects in the PSV academy and has already been part of the Dutch national team U-16 and U-17. Jones can play as a center forward or small forward, and he will be one of the main players to watch in the next edition of the Generation Adidas Cup.

Luis Gamboa 2008 // Forward // Atlas (Mexico): Luis Gamboa is a small center forward or wing who is having a great season with the Guadalajara team. He scored 6 goals in 601 minutes, which earned him the recent call-up to the Mexican U-17 national team and was previously selected to participate in the Concacaf U-15 championship where he obtained second place with his team.

Juan Jose Rosa 2008 // Midfielder // Atletico Nacional (Colombia): Rosa is considered one of the top prospects at Atletico Nacional. Winger or offensive midfielder who stands out for his power, body feints, and great physical bearing. He participated in the last edition of the Flamengo Adidas Cup playing against boys a year older than him and was also chosen in the ideal XI of the competition.

FC Barcelona Summer Camps

FC Barcelona boasts a distinctive playing style that sets them apart from other teams worldwide and has played a pivotal role in shaping players such as Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta. FC Barcelona coaches will journey to the United States to lead all training sessions, ensuring the same high level of quality found in Barcelona. FC Barcelona Camps are centered around the promotion of positive values: respect, effort, ambition, teamwork, and humility.

From each Barça Academy Camp, several players will be chosen to undergo training at FC Barcelona's facilities in Barcelona. This exclusive experience merges advanced Barça Style training with complete immersion in Barcelona's culture, providing a unique developmental opportunity for all participants.

Cavan Sullivan 2009 // Midfielder // Philadelphia Union (United States): Sullivan is considered by many scouts to be the next great player produced by the United States. A very intelligent attacking midfielder, fast, creative, with great dribbling and body feints, and with a very gifted left foot. He was a key player in the last edition of the GA Cup U-15 where they reached the final against Austin FC after beating teams like Arsenal FC and Real Madrid with great performances from Sullivan. He has played since last season with the Philadelphia Union U-17 team and has already debuted with Philadelphia Union II. Rumors indicate that teams like Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Borussia Dortmund are interested in him and this edition of the GA Cup will have great spotlights on him.

Nicholas Almeida 2007 // Defender // Inter Miami (United States): Almeida is a CB with great size and great passing ability. The young Brazilian-American player has been on a constant rise in his game and has already trained with Inter Miami's second team. He has recently been called up to the US U-17 youth team camp and previously was part of the US U-16 youth national team in competitions in Japan and Spain.

Anisse Saidi 2008 // Forward // Philadelphia Union (United States): Classic center forward and one of the best U-17 players in the MLS Next, Saidi is a goal-scoring machine and his great performances earned him calls to US national teams and Tunisia. He stands out for his great back game, physical strength, good aerial play, and ease of scoring. Anisse Saidi will be one of the main center forwards in the event and will seek, together with his team, to obtain the two-time GA Cup championship.

Dominik Chong Qui 2007 // Defender // Atlanta United (United States): Chong Qui is one of the players who has progressed the most this season. Left back looking to follow in the footsteps of great players like George Bello or Caleb Wiley, Chong Qui stands out for his power and his great offensive play, being one of the best crossers in the league. His recent great performances earned him the call-up with US U-16 last year.

Stefan Chirila 2007 // Forward // FC Cincinnati (United States): Chirila is a born goalscorer. A center forward with great footwork and excellent technical ability in his ball striking, Chirila has progressed this season being the top scorer on his team and one of the top scorers in the league. His great ability to score is one of his main virtues, and he will be one of the main players to watch in the next edition of the GA Cup.