The 2015-2016 club season in Europe was a stellar one for youth players from the U.S. The notable arrival of Christian Pulisic with Borussia Dortmund carried much of the headlines over the course of 2016 as the teenager emerged as one of the most promising stars on the global stage. 

Pulisic was not alone in the quest for the soccer spotlight. He was one of many U.S. youth players trying to carve out a niche in that competitive environment in order to secure a future in the game. 

In Spain, Mukwelle Akale starred with Villarreal’s youth sides throughout the season and finished as one of the top scorers in that league. Akale had some lesser known company in Spain though. Boise, Idaho-native Ander Egiluz earned himself a call-up to the U.S. U19 Men’s National Team after his play with Athletic Bilbao. Egiluz is set to star for Bilbao’s Juvenil A side next season in the Division de Honor. 

Egiluz will have a companion in Spain as Hayden Lyn Canizalez will join Hercules CF de Alicante for the preseason, his agent told TopDrawerSoccer. Hercules Juvenil A will play in the Division de Honor for the 2015-2016 season. Hercules will face Villarreal, Valencia, Levante, Alicante, Atletico de Madrid, and a number of other top academies in that league next season. 

Canizalez played for CE Sant Gabriel in the past. The Nevada-native joined CE Sant Gabriel in 2012, but he moves onto Hercules as he pursues the competition at the highest level in the youth sector in Spain. 

Chile Living 

Fellow U.S. U19 MNT member Nelson Hunsinger was also in the news this week, as he went to Chile to train with Colo-Colo, a club in Chile. Hunsinger took part in the club’s game against the Chile U20 Men’s National Team last week. 

Duke commit Chinenye Uche is also training with Colo-Colo. Uche is a center back who plays for Georgia United in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. He has previously trained with River Plate (Argentina) and O’Higgins (Chile). 

Xolos America

U.S. Youth National Team forward Brandon Vasquez scored his first goal with the Club Tijuana U20 side this week. Vasquez spent much of the season playing with the club’s U17 side, but he was brought up to the Xolos’ U20 for the playoffs. 

Vasquez started in the championship game on Sunday against Queretaro FC and scored the first goal of the game. Fellow U.S. National Team-eligible forward Amando Moreno notched the third goal of the game. 

Xolos ultimately lost in the final though, as Queretaro FC emerged in a penalty kick shootout after the two teams were even over the two-leg series. 

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