CARSON, Calif. (Wednesday, January 9, 2013) – The LA Galaxy announced today that the club has received and accepted an invitation from the Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup organizing committee to participate in this year’s Gordon Jago Super Group at Dallas Cup XXIV. One of the most prestigious international youth tournaments in the world, Dallas Cup consists of seven age-groups from the Under-13 to Under-19 level and entertains an average of more than 160,000 spectators during the week of play.
This year, Dallas Cup XXXIV is being held from March 24-31 at the Cotton Bowl, Richland College and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Gordon Jago Super Group is an invitation-only, 12-team competition that will include the Academies from English clubs Manchester United and Fulham FC, Mexican clubs Club America and Tigres UANL, Brazilian clubs Coritiba FC and Fluminense FC, German club Eintracht Frankfurt, Aalborg BK from Denmark, Kashiwa Reysol of Japan and Toronto FC as well as the Dallas Texans SC, a local club that produced Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez and a host of MLS stars.
The exact date, times and location of the games involving the Galaxy Academy will be announced at a later date.
“Given the high level of competition this tournament annually attracts, we are both honored and excited to be participating in the Gordon Jago Super Group at the 2013 Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup,” said LA Galaxy Vice President Chris Klein. “This speaks volumes of the level of talent and success our Academy has achieved since its inception five years ago. We look forward to competing against some of the best Academies from around the world at the Dallas Cup.”
The Galaxy Academy U-18’s are currently in first place in the West Division of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy with a record of 8-1-1 while taking 25 of a possible 30 points. Forwards Paul Arriola, Justin Dhillon and Jack McBean, who signed with the club in January 2011 and has won two MLS Cup championships as a professional, along with defender Oscar Sorto, who signed as a Homegrown Player last month, lead the team in scoring, combining for 15 of their 29 goals. McBean and Sorto are two of the four Homegrown Players on the Galaxy roster, along with forwards Jose Villarreal, who won MLS Cup with the Galaxy last season, and Gyasi Zardes, who signed with the Galaxy in December after starring at CSU Bakersfield.
Since 1980, the Dallas Cup has hosted teams from 45 states, 100 countries and six continents. Notable stars that have played at the youth tournament in the past include former Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, current Galaxy players Landon Donovan and Gonzalez, the 2012 MLS Cup MVP, as well as Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, current Mexican national team stars Giovanni Dos Santos and Rafa Marquez, former Real Madrid forward Raul and many more. For more information about Dallas Cup and its history, please visit www.dallascup.com.
