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MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Four Houston Dynamo Players Receive U.S. Youth National Team Call-Ups

April 21, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON - Four players from the Houston Dynamo Football Club have been named to the United States Under-19 and Under-20 National Team rosters for upcoming training camps, U.S. Soccer announced this week.

Midfielder Juan Castilla and goalkeeper Xavier Valdez received invitations to the upcoming U.S. U-20 Men's Youth National Team camp while midfielder Brooklyn Raines and defender Mateo Pinilla have both received invitations to the upcoming U.S. U-19 Youth National Team camp. The two camps will take place in Carson, California from April 22-May 1.

"We are incredibly proud of all of these players to be named to the U-19 and U-20 national team rosters for the upcoming camp," said Houston Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad. "We aspire to be one of the best development clubs in the country and these invitations are another indication that we are heading in the right direction. I am very happy for these young men to get this opportunity and we hope it aids in their development to become first team players."

Castilla was the youngest Homegrown signing in Club history when he signed with the Dynamo in June, 2020, when he was just 15 years old. A native of Houston, Castilla first joined the Dynamo Academy in 2016 at the age of 11. Castilla made his MLS debut on October 31, 2021 when he came on as a substitute against the Colorado Rapids, making him the youngest player to feature in a league game in Club history. Since then, the midfielder has been a regular with Houston Dynamo 2, who have opened the year with a 4-0-0 record. Castilla recently featured with the first team as a second half substitute in their 2-1 victory over Rio Grande Valley FC in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday evening.

Pinilla has been with the Club since joining the Dynamo Academy ahead of the 2016/17 season. This is the third national team training camp for the defender, who joined the U.S. U-15 Boys' National Team in March 2020. Pinilla also joined the Colombian U-17 National Team for a two-week training camp in December 2020.

Raines signed a Homegrown Player Contract with the Club on February 4, 2022. Prior to coming to Houston, Raines played in the USL Championship for El Paso Locomotive and was a member of the Barcelona Academy in Arizona. Since joining the team, Raines has been regularly training with the first team, and recently became the youngest player to suit up for the Dynamo in a competitive fixture at 17 years, 38 days old when he started against Rio Grande Valley FC in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday.

Valdez signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Dynamo on February 27, 2022. Prior to his signing, Valdez had been part of the Houston Dynamo Academy since July 2020. Valdez has started three games with Dynamo 2 this season, keeping clean sheets in each. He was named to his first MLS matchday roster on Saturday, April 16 against the Portland Timbers.

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