REAL SALT LAKE PIPELINE CREATES INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SEVERAL PLAYERS
HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, August 28, 2025) - The Real Salt Lake pipeline proudly announces the opportunity for seven members of the Club’s developmental pathway who will represent their respective countries throughout the September FIFA international window.
On the heels of Thursday’s inclusion for Utah native Zavier Gozo and recent RSL signing Marcos Zambrano with the U.S. U-20 camp ahead of next month’s FIFA Youth World Cup in Chile, Real Salt Lake’s Aiden Hezarkhani headlines the group of Real Salt Lake youth call-ups participating in a week-long “identity camp” with the U.S. Youth National Team U-20 Domestic Training Camp. The 2025 MLS debutant will report to head coach Rob Valentino’s setup throughout the duration of his time in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Hezarkhani has appeared with the first team twice this calendar year, debuting in a match at LA Galaxy on May 31 in his hometown. When not with the first team, Hezarkhani has been a staple for Real Monarchs’ MLS NEXT Pro attack, the left-footed player currently sitting second in the Monarchs’ Golden Boot race with five goals this season, trailing RSL rookie Jesus Barea’s six.
Monarchs 2025 newcomer Diego Rocio will travel to Spain this window as part of the Mexico National Team tour. A member of El Tri’s U-18 squad, Rocio will participate in three matches throughout the duration of his time in Hispania, the first on Wed., Sept. 3 against Barakaldo CF, and a club to be determined at a later time on Fri., Sept. 5 as Mexico opted to split its squad for the second leg. Mexico will conclude its tour on Mon., Sept. 8th against Real Sociedad.
Professionally, Rocio has made two appearances on the Wasatch Front, debuting in the starting XI in a 2-1 Monarchs comeback win over Tacoma Defiance. In his time with RSL Academy, Rocio delivered the nail in the coffin, clinically finishing a penalty against his former club, Philadelphia Union, en route to a semifinal MLS NEXT Cup appearance.
Preparation for the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup is in full swing as four RSL Academy eligible players report to their countries prior to the Qatar-based tourney this November. MF Luca Moisa and DF Gio Villa report to the Stars-and-Stripes to compete in a pair of friendlies throughout the window. The U-17 USYNT camp will take place in Holland-based town of Noordwijk, competing against the host nation, the Netherlands on Sept. 5 and 8.
Moisa and Villa have recently found their form with Real Monarchs, Moisa starting in 12 matches and logging his first two professional goals this season, both MLS NEXT Pro Goal of the Week nominees. Villa’s call-up arrives on the heels of six consecutive appearances with Head Coach Mark Lowry’s side, four of which starts for the fifth-place Western Conference side.
RSL Academy MF Felix Contreras will join the Mexico U17 National team this window as well, participating in the Vaclav Jezec Tournament, hosted in Czechia. The competition will consist of three matches, with Mexico's first match slated for Wed., Sept. 3 against Slovakia, before facing Turkey on Fri., Sept. 5 and its finale against the host nation on Sun., Sept. 7.
2025 MLS NEXT Cup MVP Van Parker joins the Canucks for his second international call-up with Canada this calendar year. Parker will participate in a series of three friendlies, the first against Morocco on Thu., Sept. 4, prior to Uzbekistan on Sat., Sept. 6 and concluding the window against England on Tues., Sept. 9.
Parker burst onto the scene in this year's MLS NEXT Cup in Tennessee, scoring six goals and assisting two others in the first three games of the RSL title run - en route to the historic double, Parker took home MVP and Golden Boot titles.
2025 Generation adidas Cup MVP Rylan Hashimoto rounds out the Club’s developmental pipeline call-ups, reporting for his first U.S. Youth National Team camp. USYNT Head Coach Alex Aldaz calls upon Hashimoto to participate in the week-long Domestic Identity camp held in Fayetteville, Georgia.
Real Monarchs and Real Salt Lake Academy are the official MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT affiliates of MLS side Real Salt Lake. After a historic 2024-25 season that saw RSL become the first academy to have a squad win both the Generation adidas Cup and MLS NEXT Cup in the same season, the group now looks to build upon a firm foundation. Leading Major League Soccer in all-time homegrown signings, RSL welcomed Omar Marquez, Aiden Hezarkhani, Owen Anderson, and Gio Villa in January of this year, all RSL Academy products as part of its 42 homegrown signings after inking their deals with the Claret-and-Cobalt.
