Máximo Carrizo makes United States roster for U-17 World Cup

New York City FC will be represented at the FIFA U-17 World Cup this November as 17-year-old Homegrown midfielder Máximo Carrizo officially earned a spot on the final United States roster.

Carrizo is one of the 21 players called up for the tournament by United States U-17 coach Gonzalo Segares. The U-17 team heads to Qatar to make what will be the 19th appearance by the United States in the U-17 World Cup. They’ve been drawn into a group with Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, and Czechia, with all group matches set to be played at the Aspire Zone in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Carrizo is one of 14 players to have helped the US U-17s qualify for the tournament who is now making the leap onto the final World Cup roster. The NYCFC teenager scored five goals and picked up two assists while captaining the US U-17s during the Concacaf U-17 Championships played in Costa Rica in February, which determined qualification for this big November World Cup tournament in Qatar.

More recently, Carrizo was called up by Segares for an October U-17 training camp in Georgia, the final one held before this World Cup roster was officially rolled out. Nothing changed to keep Carrizo out of the squad, and now he’s set to join up with 20 of his U-17 teammates when the United States assembles for a pre-camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, October 21, before eventually traveling to Qatar on November 1 for their final preparations.

The timing of this U-17 World Cup call-up means we won’t see Carrizo with NYCFC as an available substitute once the MLS Cup Playoffs get under way. He’s out for Round One, given that the US’s final group-stage match will be played on November 11, and given that the best-of-three round of the MLS playoffs runs from Friday, October 24 through Sunday, November 9.

New York City FC to host MLS Cup Playoffs at Yankee Stadium

This will be NYCFC’s first time playing postseason soccer in the Bronx since beating Atlanta United FC in the 2021 playoffs en route to winning MLS Cup.

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Depending on how far the United States advances, Carrizo might still be away when the MLS playoffs hit the Conference Semifinals stage, if NYCFC makes it that far. Those single-elimination MLS Cup Playoff matches are scheduled for the weekend of November 22-23, while the U-17 World Cup’s Round of 16 is planned for November 18, and their Quarterfinals for November 21. This is the first year the U-17 World Cup features an expanded 48-team field instead of the previous 24-team tournaments, so there’s an extra round of knockout games to consider, too, but it all overlaps with the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Carrizo made five appearances totaling 106 minutes for the New York City FC MLS team this season, most recently coming on for the final three minutes of the club’s 1-0 loss in Philadelphia and scoring a ghost goal that, while rightly disallowed for offside, flashed some of Carrizo’s abilities in front of goal as he weaved through the Union defense and deftly finished past Andre Blake – not a goal, but still a raiser of eyebrows.

The talented young NYCFC midfielder will be in good company on this U-17 roster. It’s looking like a stacked attacking team, with high-ceiling prospects like Carrizo joined by Philadelphia Union/Manchester City phenom Cavan Sullivan, Borussia Dortmund U19 standout Mathis Albert, New York Red Bulls forward Julian Hall, and Charlotte FC winger Nimfasha Berchimas, who heads to his second U-17 World Cup after being the youngest player on the United States roster at the 2023 tournament.

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