The Brazil Youth National Team (composed of players born in 1990) will provide the U.S. with a formidable challenge during the 2005 Nike Friendlies in Bradenton, Fla.

Well-known as a world power at every competitive age level, this young Brazil team – which will attempt to qualify for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Championship in the coming year – looks to be cut from the same cloth as those teams that have come before them.

In their first international competition, Brazil overpowered their CONMEBOL counterparts to win the 2nd Campeonato Sudamericano Sub-15 played in Bolivia. The tournament was the first-ever continental tournament in the U-15 age group. Last year, the U.S. U-17 ’88 MNT and Mexico competed in the inaugural 10-team tournament in Paraguay when it was a U-16 event, going up against the eight CONMEBOL teams.

During the two-week, eight-team tournament this year, Brazil went undefeated (6-0) and outscored their opponents 22-6. After defeating Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay by a combined score of 13-2 in group play, Brazil’s only real close call was a 3-2 victory over host Bolivia in the semifinals.

In the final, Brazil demonstrated why they are proclaimed as possibly the best youth outfit in the world with a demolishing 6-2 victory over Argentina.

Of the 20 players on Brazil’s roster in the 2nd Campeonato Sudamericano Sub-15, 15 will be part of the team that ventures to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., to meet the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Teams during the 2005 Nike Friendlies.

Midfielder Bernardo Vieira de Souza (nickname Bernardo), who led Brazil with six goals during the U-15 tournament, will highlight the team’s roster at the Nike Friendlies. Midfielder Alex Teixeira Santos (Alex) and defenders Fabio Pereira da Silva (Fabio) and Rafael Pereira da Silva (Rafael) will also lead the South American power as they take on the Americans.

Brazil YNT 1990's Roster

Name	Nickname	D.O.B.	Club
Leonardo da Silva Vieira	Leonardo	9/22/90	Sao Paulo
Marcelo Henrique Passos Carne	Marcelo	2/6/90	Flamengo
Lucas Galdino de Paiva	Lucas	6/28/90	Flamengo
Michel Schmoller	Michel	6/10/90	Figueirense
Atila Araujo Prado	Atila	4/11/90	Corinthians
Fabio Pereira da Silva	Fabio	7/9/90	Fluminense
Rafael Pereira da Silva	Rafael	7/9/90	Fluminense
Joao Guilherme Estevao da Silva	Choco	1/4/90	Paranaense
Tales Tlaija de Souza	Tales	1/20/90	Internacional
Bernardo Vieira de Souza	Bernardo	5/20/90	Cruzeiro
Fernando Henrique Farias	Fernando	9/1/90	Paranaense
Alex Teixeira Santos	Alex	1/6/90	Vasco da Gama
Raul Guilherme Martins	Raul	3/13/90	Paranaense
Bruno Veiga Mattos	Bruno Veiga	1/9/90	Fluminense
Maicon Marques Bitencourt	Maicon	2/18/90	Fluminense
Luiz Marcelo Moraies dos Reis	Lula	4/10/90	Corinthians
Felipe Ramos Ignez Bastos	Felipe	2/1/90	Botafogo
Rafael Aparecido da Silva	Boquita	4/7/90	Corinthians

--Nike Friendlies--