US, Foreign Teams Highlight Nike Friendlies

CHICAGO – Four U.S. Youth National Teams and U-17 sides from Brazil, Russia and Turkey highlight the 54 teams competing at the 2007 Nike Friendlies this December in Bradenton, Florida.

This year’s tournament will take place from Dec. 6-9 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., with team from across the Under-15/16 and Under-17/18 age groups.

The U.S. Under-17 and Under-15 Mens’ National Teams will each be divided into two squads that will represent U.S. Soccer. The U-17 teams will be divided in to the U-17 ’91 MNT and the U-17 ’92 MNT, while the U-15 team will be made primarily of players born in 1993, and will play as the U-15 Blue and U-15 Grey teams.

The U.S. Under-17 ‘92s will compete against youth national teams from Brazil, Russia and Turkey in an international bracket, while the U-17 ‘91s and the U-15 Boys’ National Team will compete against elite club teams.

As part of the Nike Friendlies extended weekend, U.S. Soccer will host CONCACAF Coaching and Referee Symposiums. The Coaching Symposium will be held Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday afternoon and will feature sessions led by U.S. Men’s National Team assistant coach and Development Academy Director John Hackworth, U.S. Under-18 Head Coach and Director of Education & Youth Development Bob Jenkins, Under-20 head coach Thomas Rongen and U-15 Boys’ National Team head coach Jim Barlow.

In additional to a full complement of national staff coaches, scouts from top European clubs, including Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Celtic and PSV Eindhoven will be on hand, along with college coaches from across the country.

Forty-six teams from U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy will round out an 81-game schedule. Clubs representing 17 states and all eight Academy conferences will be a part of the elite player development opportunity. Concurrent with past Nike Friendly events, the matches played during the weekend will not count toward the Development Academy standings.

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy was initiated after a comprehensive review of player development systems in the United States and around the world. The Academy is a grassroots program implanted this summer and designed to improve the U.S. as a soccer playing nation by targeting the youth level.

Return from US, Foreign Teams Highlight Nike Friendlies to Latest News