Union Omaha signs 17-year-old Yoskar Galvan-Mercado to USL Academy contract

PAPILLION, Neb. – Union Omaha announced that the club has signed Lexington, Neb. native Yoskar ”Edu” Galvan-Mercado to its 2021 roster. The 17-year-old midfielder signed the first-ever academy contract in club history and will join the first team immediately.

Galvan-Mercado is a 2021 Lexington High School graduate who also played with Gretna’s Elite Academy. While at Lexington from 2017-2021, Galvan-Mercado was named to the 2021 Boys super-state second team and the Boys Class B all-state team.

Galvan-Mercado was one of 15 players from several Nebraska and Iowa high schools that Head Coach Jay Mims put together in the fall of 2019 for a United Soccer League (USL) Academy Cup tournament in San Antonio, Texas. This was the first-ever group to wear the Union Omaha crest and represent Nebraska at a USL event.

“Players like Yoskar do not come around often,” said Mims. “He is a special player who has such great imagination and joy when he plays but also has a competitive edge to him.  His ability to think and see the game at such a high level for being so young is very encouraging.  I am excited to help Yoskar continue to develop on and off the field over the upcoming years.”

“It’s an amazing opportunity and a blessing,” said Galvan-Mercado. “I come from three hours away from Omaha. I don’t think there’s ever been a soccer player from my town that ended up signing a pro contract, so this is a big deal for me. This opportunity came, and I took it.”

Phonetic pronunciation of last name: [GAL-VAHN – MUR-CAH-DOH]
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’3”
Weight: 121 lbs
Born:  USA
Hometown: Lexington, Nebraska