Seven Toronto FC academy players headed to Copa Mexico de Naciones

Canada has named the 20 players who will join the Under-15 national team at the Copa Mexico de Naciones which runs from August 10th through to the 18th. The squad will be under the watchful eye of the Canadian Soccer Associations Technical Director Tony Fonseca and Hall-of-Famer Paul Stalteri and will go up against some of the top youth squads from the Americas.

The squad is made up primarily of players from the academy systems of the Canadian professional clubs. The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency program contributed 6 players, the Montreal Impact academy 5 players, and Toronto FC academy 7. The remaining 2 players come from Bonvital SC and North Scarborough SC to fill out the 20-man squad.

Toronto FC's academy will be represented by Patrick Boyle, Steven Furlano, Nikola Stakic, Gabriel Boakye, Alexander Pena, Malik Johnson, and Raheem Taylor-Parkes. With the U-15 program being a relatively new addition for the CSA and being the youngest age group that Canada fields teams in this is the first chance for most of these players to pull on the national team colours.

The most interesting name on the list coming from TFCA is Raheem Taylor-Parkes who only recently joined the academy. Taylor-Parkes had the chance to join the US Residency Program in Florida and represent the United States at the youth level but instead chose to move north and join Toronto FC Academy and represent Canada. The speedy forward was highly rated south of the border before the move so he could prove to be a good addition for both programs.

Playing in Mexico against other talented youth teams will be a good opportunity for these young players and it fits in well with the CSA's goal of getting the top young players as many international matches as possible. The goal of getting kids into 50 matches before they are ready for the senior team now begins before the age of 15.

Men's U-15 Team, 2013 Copa Mexico de Naciones

GK- Aidan Aylward | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
GK- Alic Rasmussen | CAN / Bonvital SC
D- Matthew Baldisimo | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
D- Patrick Boyle | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
D- Steven Furlano | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
D- John Kasper | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
D- Nikola Stakic | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
D/M- William Archambault | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
M- Gabriel Boakye | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Don Junior Bobe | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
M- Esleyder Echeverria | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
M- Duwayne Ewant | CAN / North Scarborough SC
M- Thomas Gardner | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
M- David Norman | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
M- Alexander Pena | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
M- Mouhamed Touré | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal
F- Terran Campbell | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency
F- Malik Johnson | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
F- Raheem Taylor-Parkes | CAN / Toronto FC Academy
F- Gabriel Wiethaeuper-Balbinotti | CAN / Académie Impact Montréal

Edit: Nicholas Osorio from TFC academy is clearly in Mexico right now with the team but was left off the roster. We have reached out to the CSA for clarification.