CHICAGO (Sept. 26, 2024) – U.S. Men’s Futsal National Team interim head coach Diego Burato has called up 17 players for a domestic training camp to be held Oct. 2-6 at Dulles Sportsplex in Sterling, Va. As part of U.S. Soccer’s continued effort to develop winning teams, the camp marks the beginning of the U.S. Futsal MNT’s new cycle as it begins the work toward qualification for the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup.
With the search for a new head coach already underway, Burato, a veteran Futsal MNT player, will serve as interim head coach with Sascha Filippi continuing to support the team as assistant coach.
“This will be our first camp since qualifying, and we will meet again to work on some things that we need to improve upon to make sure we’re at the World Cup again,” Burato said. “The roster will have a mix of experienced players as well as new players who have shown through their club play that they have potential and deserve a chance. We hope that the players assimilate around the philosophy that we are going to implement, so that we can have success again in the future.”
Five veterans of the 2021 World Cup lead the list of experienced selections, with Raphael Araujo (Bound Brook, N.J.), Robert Damron (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Diego Moretti (Ancona, Italy), David Ortíz (McKinney, Texas) and Zach Reget (Kenosha, Wisc.), joined by Nilton de Andrade, Nicholas Lopez, and Sebastian Mendez who were standout U.S. players at the 2024 Concacaf Futsal Championship.
The roster is balanced out by seven uncapped players, including first-time call-ups Christopher Escalante (Alexandria, Va.), Samuel Esquivel-Gonzalez (Grand Rapids, Mich.), Admir Nezaj (Manhattan, N.Y.), Julian Rodriguez (New York, N.Y.) and Micah Vasey (Phoenix, Ariz.).
In addition to the training camp, the Futsal MNT will take part in the unveiling of a new dual futsal and basketball court on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. ET at Stratton Woods Park (2431 Fox Mill Rd. Herndon, Va.), near the home of U.S. Soccer’s presenting partner, Volkswagen. The project, a joint venture between Volkswagen Group of America, The Great Outdoors Fund and Fairfax County Park Authority will add an amazing new recreational amenity for the Reston community and provide a quality court to help address the increasing popularity of futsal in Northern Virginia.
The Futsal MNT will join Volkswagen’s North America CEO Pablo Di Si, Senior Vice President of Industry and Government Relations Anna Schneider, in dedicating the new court, while U.S. Sports Camps will also host a free youth futsal clinic for Vienna Soccer Club from 4:30-6 p.m. ET.
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Hometown):
Key: Fixo = Defender; Ala = Winger / Midfielder; Pivo = Target / Forward
GOALKEEPERS (3): Robert Damron*^ (Futsal Factory Academy; Ann Arbor, Mich.; 7/0), Diego Moretti*^ (Unattached; Ancona, Italy; 21/0), Julian Rodriguez (NY Ecuador Futsal; New York, N.Y.; 0/0)
FIXOS (4): Mario Alvarez (Milwaukee Wave; Aurora, Ill.; 0/0), Raphael Araujo*^ (St. Louis Ambush; Bound Brook, N.J.; 20/4), Samuel Esquivel-Gonzalez (OLé Futsal Club; Grand Rapids, Mich.; 0/0), Erik Macias^ (Texas Outlaws; Dallas, Texas; 9/0)
ALAS (8): Nilton de Andrade^ (Utica City FC; Boston, Mass.; 4/5), Christopher Escalante (Unattached; Alexandria, Va.; 0/0), Nicholas Lopez^ (Xove FS/ESP; Miami, Fla.; 4/1), Sebastian Mendez^ (Texas Outlaws; Dallas, Texas; 10/3), Admir Nezaj (Manhattan Kickers; Manhattan, N.Y.; 0/0), David Ortíz*^ (Texas Outlaws; McKinney, Texas; 13/4), Enzo Passantino (Orange Soccer Academy; Orlando, Fla.; 0/0), Micah Vasey (Brusa FC; Phoenix, Ariz.; 0/0)
PIVOS (2): Luiz Morales^ (Texas Outlaws; Irving, Texas; 5/5), Zach Reget* (Kansas City Comets; Kenosha, Wisc.; 15/8)
*Part of 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup roster;
^Part of 2024 Concacaf Futsal Championship roster
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Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. As U.S. Soccer looks toward the future amid an unprecedented moment of opportunity, we’ve aligned our efforts around five strategic pillars: Grow the game by increasing youth and adult participation and accessibility to the sport; Foster the best playing environments through quality of referees and coaches, increase DEIB and participant safety; Develop winning teams through solidified pathways and success of professional leagues; Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment by increasing membership, fandom and commercial success; and Create a world-class organization through revitalized structure and culture, best-in-class talent, progress in DEIB, and more. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.
