Houston Dynamo Academy
midfielders Christian Lucatero and Marcelo Palomino have been called up to their respective United States youth national team camps. Lucatero was named to the U.S. Under-18 men’s national team roster by head coach Javier Perez. Palomino earned a call-up to the U.S. Under-14 boys national team squad by head coach Brian Johnson.
Lucatero and the U-18s will train in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina from April 22 - May 1 and will play NK Široki Brijeg of the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the Bosnia and Herzegovina U-18 national team.
“We are all very proud of Christian and he thoroughly deserves this,” Dynamo director of youth development James Clarkson said. “He has been outstanding every day and is playing at a different level.”
Palomino and the U-14s began training in Carson, Calif. on Saturday and camp will run through April 26. This is Palomino’s fourth consecutive U-14 national team camp after participating in camps in January and February and last October.
“We are very pleased and excited for Marcelo’s latest call-up,” Clarkson said. “He’s continued to work hard and improve since his last trip with the national team.”
Lucatero was previously called into a U.S. U-18 national team camp in April 2014 and also joined the Mexico U-18 national team for a camp in February in Mexico City.
He leads the Dynamo Academy U-18 team with 20 goals in 21 games this season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. The U-18s are currently
16-4-2 (50 points)
and in first place in the Frontier Division of the Central Conference.
Lucatero signed a letter of intent on Feb. 4 to attend Oregon State University this fall. The Pasadena, Texas native joined the Dynamo Academy in 2010 and was named Dynamo Academy Player of the Year in 2013 and Players' Player of the Year in 2014 after scoring 15 goals.
The Dynamo Academy has five games remaining in the regular season, beginning Saturday against Lonestar SC.
