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D.C. United

D.C. United Academy players to Under-17 National Team Residency Program

September 3, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
D.C. United News Release


Washington, D.C. (September 3, 2008) - D.C. United Academy players Julio Arjona and Shaquille Phillips will return to the Under-17 Men's National Team Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. for the 2008 fall semester. The two defenders are part of a 40-player group named to the residency program and are eligible to compete in the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

"Both Julio and Shaq are very talented players and we are certainly excited for them to have been invited back into the Residency program for the upcoming year," said United's Director of Youth Developmnet, John Maessner. "Julio has trained with our first team regularly over this past summer and has made great strides in his development. We are thrilled to have both of these fine young players in our system and look forward to monitoring their progress over the upcoming year. We wish them all the best of luck."

Arjona and Phillips are two of only six players in the program coming from MLS teams' youth academies. They will be trying to secure a spot in the national team that will participate in Under-17 World Cup qualifiers.

The Under-17 Residency program began in 1999 and since then has helped in the development of nearly 200 youth players, many of whom have gone on to play in the MLS or European leagues.

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