Four players from the Philadelphia Union Academy have been chosen to participate in the upcoming U-16 Boys’ National Team training camp. Abdoulaye Diop, Samuel Gallego, Landon Mulvenna, and Chris Thompson will join the camp scheduled for September 12-19 at McCurry Park in Fayetteville, Georgia.
The U-16 Boys’ National Team will be led by new head coach Paul Simpson. Simpson is a former professional player with more than 600 appearances in the English Football League system and has over two decades of coaching experience. He holds a UEFA PRO license and has managed several clubs including Rochdale FC, Carlisle United, Preston North End, Shrewsbury Town, and Stockport County. Simpson also led England’s Under-20 Men’s National Team to a FIFA U-20 World Cup championship in 2017 and most recently served as an assistant coach with Jamaica’s Men’s National Team under Steve McClaren.
Philadelphia Union Academy is one of three Major League Soccer club academies with four players selected for this national team camp. Atlanta United and St. Louis City also have four representatives each. Other MLS clubs contributing players include FC Cincinnati (two), Columbus Crew (one), D.C. United (one), FC Dallas (one), Houston Dynamo (one), LAFC (one), LA Galaxy (one), Nashville SC (one), New England Revolution (one) and Seattle Sounders (one). Sacramento Republic from the USL Championship also has one player named to the squad.
The selected group is starting preparations toward qualification for the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup that will take place in Qatar. All participating players were born after January 1, 2010.
“Abdoulaye Diop, Samuel Gallego, Landon Mulvenna and Chris Thompson have been selected for the upcoming U-16 Boys’ National Team training camp,” Philadelphia Union Academy announced.
