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- The Future Starts Now: Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers Begin!
The Future Starts Now: Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers Begin!
With the Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers kick-off there is plenty of youth talent ready to set the tournament a light as they prepare to help their nations secure a spot at the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Alongside this, we take a look at Philadelphia's new homegrown signing as they secure a youngster to help bolster their backline. Switching to Europe, we discuss the a transfer that European giant, Feyenoord, made in securing a Liga MX youngster.
Marvin Velasquez & Lucas Aguirre
February 07, 2025
The Road to Qatar U-17 FIFA World Cup
The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team, primarily composed of players born in 2008, has gathered to compete in the Concacaf qualifying tournament for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The team will be led by Gonzalo Segares, who also coached the squad during the last U-17 World Cup cycle.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup is transitioning into an annual event, a positive development that will give each generation of players the opportunity to compete on a global stage. The 2025 edition, set to take place in Qatar, will undergo a significant expansion, doubling the number of participating teams from 24 to 48. As a result, Concacaf will have eight available spots in the tournament. However, this expansion has led to a change in the qualification format, potentially making the competition less competitive. The qualifying tournament will feature eight groups, playing in a round-robin format, with only the group winners securing a place in the World Cup.
The United States was drawn into Group F and will begin its qualifying campaign against the U.S. Virgin Islands on Monday, February 10. They will then face Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, February 12, before concluding the group stage against Cuba on Saturday, February 15. All of the U.S. group-stage matches will kick off at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. The first two matches will take place at the Estadio Nacional in San José, while the third will be held at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto in Alajuela.
Additionally, three reserve players will travel with the U.S. team to Costa Rica to train with the squad before the tournament: defender Micah Harris (Houston Dynamo FC), defender Chase Nagle (Chicago Fire FC), and midfielder Antonio Riquelme (Real Salt Lake).
Philly Union’s Next Defensive Wall
Neil Pierre, a 17-year-old defender from Philadelphia Union II and the USYNT, has signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Philadelphia Union first team through 2028, with an option for 2029. He becomes the 26th Homegrown signing in club history.
After an outstanding season with Union II, we are happy to reward Neil with a first-team contract. His combination of size, speed, and defensive strength makes him a great asset to our backline. As a young and dynamic center-back with immense potential, we look forward to continuing and supporting his development.
Pierre signed his first professional contract with Union II in MLS NEXT Pro on July 20, 2023, and made his debut five days later against Columbus Crew 2. In 2024, he played a key role in Union II’s historic season, helping the youngest team in the league win the Eastern Conference for the first time. Over 22 regular-season matches (20 starts), Pierre helped the team concede the fifth-fewest goals in the league and excelled in build-up play, completing 495 passes (73.7% accuracy).
On top of that, Pierre recorded the game-winning assist in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, setting up CJ Olney’s decisive goal in the 86th minute against New York City FC II. Additionally, he won his second Generation Adidas Cup with the Union Academy U-17 squad and was named to the tournament’s Best XI.
Internationally, Pierre has represented the USYNT at the U-15, U-16, U-18, and U-19 levels. In 2023, he captained the U-16 team at the International Dream Cup against the Netherlands. In 2024, he received his first U-18 call-up for the Niigata International Tournament in Japan and, in March, earned his first selection to the U-19 squad.
Feyenoord Locks in Carrillo for the Future
Feyenoord has officially announced the signing of Stephano Carrillo, a forward from Gómez Palacio, Durango, who developed in Santos Laguna’s youth academy. He currently plays for the club’s U-23 squad and has also stood out in Mexico’s youth national teams.
According to reports from Europe, Feyenoord has secured Carrillo on an 18-month loan. The Dutch club will reportedly pay around €100,000 for the loan, with a commitment to a future purchase based on performance objectives.
Due to his age, Carrillo will not immediately join Feyenoord’s first team but will continue his development in the club’s youth system. His signing comes shortly after the departure of Feyenoord’s last top scorer to Italy.
Born in Gómez Palacio, Durango, the 18-year-old was one of Mexico’s most promising talents at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. Playing as a center forward, he was the team’s key attacking figure, scoring three goals in the tournament before Mexico was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Mali.
Carrillo made his Liga MX debut on February 18, 2024, in a Clausura 2024 Matchday 7 clash against Pumas at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. He scored his first top-flight goal on Matchday 14 of the same tournament, netting against América at Estadio Corona.