US Club Soccer id2 National Selection Team heads to Europe
(Via US Club Soccer) – The 2019 id2 National Selection International Tour is highlighted by four games against top academies in Belgium and France. In a span of seven days, the American delegation will face the 2005 academy teams of PSG, Reims, KRC Genk and KV Mechelen.
This is the first time in id2 Program history that the esteemed international tour travels to Belgium and France. Notable id2 National Selection alumni include: Christian Pulisic (2012), Jonathan Gonzalez (2013), Tyler Adams (2013), Corey Baird (2010) and Timothy Weah (2013). Earlier this month, id2 Boys Program Director and head coach of the id2 National Selection squad, Gerry McKeown, named his All-Time Best XI alumni of id2 boys programming.
The game schedule is as follows (all times referenced are local time zone):
- April 2 at 6 p.m. vs. KV Mechelen 2005s at ODTH Youth Academy in Antwerp, Belgium
- April 4 at 3 p.m. vs. KRC Genk 2005s at KRC Genk Complex in Antwerp, Belgium
- April 6 at 10:30 a.m. vs. PSG 2005s at Stade Municipal Georges Lefèvre in Paris, France
- April 8 at 11:30 a.m. vs. Reims 2005s at Centre de Vie Raymond Kopa in Paris, France
While the marquee matchup is arguably April 6 against PSG in Paris, the other three opponents are also formidable. KV Mechelen’s first team plays in the Belgian Pro League, claiming European Cup Winners’ Cup and European Super Cup titles in the late 1980s.
KRC Genk’s senior team also plays in the Belgian Pro League but has achieved more recent success. A member of the First Division A, KRC Genk has won four Belgian Cups (most recently in 2009 and 2013) and has qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2002-03 and 2011-12. In 2017, sportbible.com created a Best XI of players developed by Genk, noting: “Belgian side Genk are one of the top sides when it comes to producing and developing players and preparing them for top-level football.”
The matchup against PSG will be the third game of the trip, and it will take place at PSG’s impressive training facility. The senior team needs no introduction as the dominant force in Ligue 1 and the most decorated French club in history.
Stade de Reims, also referred to as simply “Reims,” also currently plays in Ligue 1, having been promoted from Ligue 2 last season. In the club’s history, Reims has clinched six Ligue 1 championships.
In addition to playing these formidable opponents, the delegation of the id2 National Selection International Tour will also be immersed in Belgian and French cultures. That includes attending a professional match at PSG to watch the home team take on Strasbourg in Ligue 1 action.
In total, the 2019 id2 National Selection International Tour spans March 29-April 9. Of the 18 players, there are 17 clubs and 13 states represented and one-German based athlete. For the 10th consecutive year, McKeown leads the team, which has played the likes of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Juventus, Inter Milan, Everton, Celtic, Atletico Madrid and Ajax over the years.
