Soccer Canada has named Liam Mackenzie of Comox to the Under-17 national team for a domestic camp in Montreal.
Liam, 15, is a member of the Vancouver Whitecaps U17 squad.
“Liam was one of six players selected from our club to take part in the first U17 camp of this World Cup cycle,” Caps U17 coach Scott Howey said. It’s always an honour at any age to represent your country. I am extremely proud of all the players selected. It’s a great opportunity for Liam’s development to again be challenged training and playing with the top 2006 and 2007 born players who are eligible to represent Canada at the next U17 World Cup.”
Liam and his national teammates will be in Mexico for a second training camp in December. The team will play a couple of friendly matches to prepare for the Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) Championships, February in Guatemala. Canada’s group includes Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. and Barbados. The top three from each of four groups advance to the knockout round, from where the top four advance to the U17 World Cup in Peru next October.
“We were thrilled when we heard he was going to the U17 (Whitecaps) team with the year older group,” Liam’s family said in a statement. “Then happy when he played full minutes and scored the first goal of the season. Being selected to the U17 national team is really unbelievable. We are so happy for him.
“He set this as a goal a while ago, but we had no idea if it would happen or that it would occur so soon. He is playing with some incredible players from across the country. It is just such a great opportunity.”
Liam was a French immersion student in Comox, so his parents are encouraging him to use his French in Montreal.
