Homegrown Midfielder Blake Willey Called up to U.S. U-18 Men's National Team

May 28, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sacramento Republic FC News Release

U.S. Soccer has announced that Republic FC midfielder Blake Willey has been selected to the U.S. U-18 Men's National Team roster for the upcoming UEFA Friendship Cup in Nyon, Switzerland. He is the only player on the 20-man roster to represent a USL Championship team.

First launched in 2024, the tournament invites U-18 teams from Europe and its sister confederations to give participants a taste of international competition. Team USA will compete in Group A alongside Argentina, Australia, and France. Group stage matches will take place on June 1 (vs. France), June 4 (vs. Argentina), and June 7 (vs. Australia). Group rankings will determine matchups for the final day of competition on June 10, when teams from Group A will face off with Group B (Japan, Portugal, Senegal, Uruguay).

"This is a fantastic opportunity for Blake to experience international soccer against top competition," said Republic FC President and General Manager Todd Dunivant. "We wish the team well in the tournament and look forward to re-integrating Blake to our squad when he return."

This is the first national team selection for Willey since he joined the professional ranks in November 2023. The 18-year-old Sacramento native has emerged as one of the USL's brightest young stars this season. He has featured in every game across all competitions, including a start in Republic FC's Open Cup Round of 32 matchup against MLS side San Jose Earthquakes. In league play, he is among the team leaders across several stats categories, including chances created (7), tackles won (9), and passing accuracy (84%).

Willey will miss Republic FC's next two matches, starting with Saturday's USL Jägermeister Cup contest against Las Vegas Lights. Kickoff from Heart Health Park is at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are available now at SacRepublicFC.com/Tickets.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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