HERRIMAN, Utah (Tuesday, January 5, 2022) – Real Salt Lake Homegrown Player Jude Wellings and the RSL Academy duo of Fernando Delgado and Gershon Henry have been named to the United States U17 Men’s National Team for the upcoming camp on January 18-25 in Bradenton, Fla.
“We feel this group of players represents the positive direction our Academy is going, and recognition of our guys from U.S. Soccer further points to the good things to come,” Director of Coaching Arnold Rijsenburg said.
This is the second-consecutive call-up to a U.S. Soccer U17 roster for the RSL Academy trio, but the first for Wellings since he inked his first professional contract with Real Salt Lake, becoming the Club’s 30th Homegrown Player. The three players were previously named by Head Coach Gonzalo Segares to the November Camp at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
Wellings, 15, signed with Real Salt Lake last week as a Homegrown Player, becoming the first member of the 2021 U15 MLS NEXT Cup Championship squad to sign a professional contract. The midfielder made his professional debut for Real Monarchs on October 27 at Zions Bank Stadium. The following month he was named the MLS NEXT Fest Player of the Tournament, a tournament that featured over 6,000 athletes across 305 teams, for his two game-winning goals.
Delgado holds dual citizenship and has received call-ups to Mexico Youth Camps, in addition to the U.S. squads. The young goalkeeper can continue to represent both nations until he reaches the senior level. Delgado made history as the youngest goalkeeper to appear in a professional match globally, starting for Real Monarchs in between the pipes against Austin Bold FC on October 16 at just 15 years, 2 months and 22 days.
Henry has been a staple of the U17’s defense all season, helping the team to go undefeated during the MLS NEXT Fest, he also joins Delgado and Wellings as a prominent member of the championship-winning U15 MLS NEXT Cup squad.
The RSL Academy will return to to MLS NEXT play for the first time in the calendar year on February 19 at San Jose Earthquakes in Livermore, Calif.
2022 Season Tickets can be purchased at www.RSL.com/tickets, or by calling 844.Real.Tix.
