SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC midfielder Danny Leyva and forward Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez have been named to the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil. Head Coach Raphael Wicky has named 21 players to his roster for the tournament, which takes place from October 26-November 18. Sounders FC Academy midfielder Ethan Dobbelaere has also been included on the squad that will face Senegal, Japan and Netherlands in Group Stage action.
The U-17 MNT kicks off the world championship when Group D play opens on Sunday, October 27 vs. Senegal (12:50 p.m. PT / FS1, Telemundo) before facing Japan on Wednesday, October 30 (3:50 p.m. ET / FS2, Universo), with both matches played in Cariacica, Brazil. Wicky’s squad then finishes the Group Stage on Saturday, November 2 vs. Netherlands (3:50 p.m. PT / FS2, Universo) in Goiania, Brazil.
Leyva has appeared in six games for Sounders FC this season, making four starts and recording four shots. He made his first career start on June 29 in a 1-0 win vs. Vancouver and played the full 90 minutes, recording two shots. Leyva has started 11 of 13 appearances this season for Seattle’s USL side, Tacoma Defiance. He scored his first professional goal on Saturday in Tacoma’s 4-1 road win at Fresno FC. He became the youngest Homegrown Player in club history when he signed with the First Team in April, and upon his debut on June 5 became the third-youngest player in MLS history to appear in a match.
Ocampo-Chavez has played 82 minutes across three appearances and one start for Sounders FC this season. He made his first career start and recorded one shot on goal in a 2-1 victory at Columbus on July 6. The forward has played 1,103 minutes across 16 appearances and 12 starts for Tacoma this season and ranks second on the club with six goals. His nine international goals for the U-17 MNT lead the squad during this World Cup cycle.
Dobbelaere has started two of his six appearances for Tacoma in 2019, recording 231 minutes and three shots. The 16-year-old midfielder netted his first professional goal in a 5-1 Defiance victory over San Antonio FC on August 30 at Cheney Stadium.
The 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup features 24 nations divided into six groups of four teams. The top two finishers in each group, as well as the four best third-placed teams advance to the Knockout Round. All 52 matches of the tournament will be played in four venues across Brazil.
The roster is made up of 19 players born in 2002 and two born in 2003. Players born on or after January 1, 2002 are eligible for the 2019 U-17 World Cup.
2019 FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWNP U-17 CAPS/GOALS)
GOALKEEPERS (3): 21-Aaron Cervantes (Orange County SC; Chino Hills, Calif.; 4/0), 1-Damian Las (Fulham/ENG; Norridge, Ill.; 19/0), 12-Chituru Odunze (Leicester City/ENG; London, England; 7/0)
DEFENDERS (7): 15-Sebastian Anderson (Colorado Rapids; Highlands Ranch, Colo.; 4/0), 13-Adam Armour (North Carolina FC; Cary, N.C.; 18/0), 3-George Bello (Atlanta United FC; Douglasville, Ga.; 8/1), 4-Nicolas Carrera (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas; 3/0), 14-Tayvon Gray (New York City FC; Bronx, N.Y.; 17/0), 5-Kobe Hernandez-Foster (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.; 23/3), 2-Joe Scally (New York City FC; Lake Grove, N.Y.; 19/1)
MIDFIELDERS (5): 18-Maximilian Dietz (Freiburg/GER; Frankfurt, Germany; 2/0), 17-Ethan Dobbelaere (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.; 3/0), 8-Bryang Kayo (Orange County SC; Poolesville, Md.; 8/1), 6-Daniel Leyva (Seattle Sounders FC; Las Vegas, Nev.; 7/0), 16-Adam Saldana (LA Galaxy; Panorama City, Calif.; 25/2)
FORWARDS (6): 7-Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; Greensboro, N.C.; 15/7), 20-Andres Jasson (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.; 11/1), 19-Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez (Seattle Sounders FC; Merced, Calif.; 24/9), 9-Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas; 15/5), 10-Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; Bedford, N.Y.; 15/8), 11-Griffin Yow (D.C. United; Clifton, Va.; 12/7)
