US Soccer 2009 Year In Review (Part I: U-17s)

by Gary Kleiban on December 27, 2009

us_soccer_logoThis is the first of a 4-part series that will recap the results of our National Team’s 2009 results.

We start out by examining the U-17s. Usually the players on this squad form the foundation upon which the U-20s and the senior team are built. So if you want to look at the likely future of our country’s soccer, this is a good place to start.

The boys finished off the year with a 18-7-6 record. Not too shabby huh? Well, on the surface it is a respectable showing, but looking deeper we see this generation is not on par with the A-list teams of the world.

(0-6-1) vs A-list Teams

The top-notch sides they faced during 2009 were Spain, Argentina, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, and the Netherlands.

(2-1-3) vs B-list Teams

The B-listers were comprised of Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, and Colombia.

(16-0-2) vs Soccer Minnows

All their wins came from CONCACAF, lowest level CONMEBOL countries, the UAE & Malawi in the World Cup, and regional Club teams.

On a bright note, there was a revelation in Luis Gil. The 16 year old does have quality, and if nurtured properly he can not only become a great player for the US, but internationally as well. We are certainly not the only ones to notice. He has trialed with premier league side Arsenal, and MLS seems to be in hot pursuit to sign him in this years draft. My hope is he rejects any MLS offer and stays in Europe – the current American game will ruin him!

Complete U-17 Team Results

  • La Serena Cup (3-0-1)
Feb 1 – (W) Chile 2-0 in La Serena, Chile
Feb 3 – (W) Peru 1-0 in La Serena, Chile
Feb 5 – (T) Ecuador 1-1 in La Serena, Chile
Feb 7 – (W) Ecuador 2-1 in La Serena, Chile (Final)


  • Friendly (2-3-1)
Feb 18 – (L) to Spain 1-2 in Madrid, Spain
Mar 12 – (T) Venezuela 0-0 in Brandenton, Florida
Mar 14 – (W) Venezuela 2-0 in Brandenton, Florida
Mar 23 – (W) Bolivia 2-1 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mar 25 – (L) to Argentina 1-5 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mar 27 – (L) to Uruguay 1-3 in Buenos Aires, Argentina


  • CONCACAF (3-0)
Apr 21 – (W) Cuba 5-0 in Tijuana, Mexico
Apr 23 – (W) Canada 4-2 in Tijuana, Mexico
Apr 25 – (W) Honduras 3-0 in Tijuana, Mexico
* The rest of CONCACAF championships (semi & final) were canceled due to swine flu concerns.


  • Friendly (2-0)
May 22 – (W) DA Select Team I 3-1 (DA Showcase in Sarasota, Florida)
May 23 – (W) DA Select Team II 5-3 (DA Showcase in Sarasota, Florida)


  • Copa XIII Macae Sub-17 (5-0-1)
Jul 18 – (W) Flamengo 2-1 in Macae, Brazil
Jul 19 – (W) Artsul Futebol Clube 1-0 in Macae, Brazil
Jul 21 – (W) Clube Cidade do Sol 4-0 in Macae, Brazil
Jul 23 – (W) Ser Caxias 4-1 in Macae, Brazil (quarter)
Jul 25 – (W) Fluminense 3-0 in Macae, Brazil (semi)
Jul 26 – (T) Funorte Esporte Clube 0-0 (win pks) in Macae, Brazil (final)


  • Friendly (1-0-2)
Aug 12 – (T) Colombia 1-1 in Lauderhill, Florida
Aug 15 – (T) Colombia 2-2 in Lauderhill, Florida
Sep 23 – (W) Chelsea U-17 Academy 3-1 in Cobham, UK


  • U-17 World Cup (2-2)
Oct 26 – (L) to Spain 1-2 in Kano, Nigeria
Oct 29 – (W) Malawi 1-0 in Kano, Nigeria
Nov 1 – (W) UAE 1-0 in Itebu Ode, Nigeria
Nov 4 – (L) to Italy 1-2 in Kaduna, Nigeria


  • Nike International Friendlies (0-2-1)
Dec 4 – (L) to Portugal 1-2 in Phoenix, Arizona
Dec 5 – (T) Brazil 1-1 in Phoenix, Arizona
Dec 7 – (L) to Netherlands 0-3 in Phoenix, Arizona



I don’t want to take away from the kids. I know they work hard representing the country and are pursuing their dreams, but something keeps us from cracking that A-list! What is it? Answering that question and offering potential solutions is a big reason for the existence of this blog …

In Part II of the series, we look at the U-20 National Team.

Tagged as: Analysis, USMNT, World Cup

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