CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, May 17, 2012) – LA Galaxy forward Jack McBean was one of 20 players called into the U.S. Under-18 National Team by head coach Javier Perez for the upcoming Lisbon International Tournament in Portugal. The 17-year-old Galaxy Academy graduate is one of just two current MLS players in the squad, which features 15 current or former U.S. Soccer Development Academy products. He travelled to Portugal earlier today ahead of a friendly against Sporting Lisbon on Saturday, before opening the four-team tournament four days later.
The U.S. will play their first game of the competition against Poland on Wednesday, May 23. They will then take on Slovakia the following day before rounding out the tournament on Saturday, May 26 against Portugal. While the U.S. is sending their U-18 National Team, the other three nations will each send their U-19 squads.
McBean, who is the youngest player to score a goal for the Galaxy, opening his account last season in his MLS debut, has split his time this season playing for the Galaxy Academy’s U-18 team while also seeing time for the Galaxy in the MLS Reserve League. He also spent a week training with the U.S. Under-20 National Team recently in Portland, Ore. He will miss LA’s next three regular season games, beginning with Saturday’s SuperClasico against Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center, before returning for the club’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round Game against either the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks or the United States Adult Soccer Association’s PSA Elite on Tuesday, May 29.
