USA ROSTER FOR 2021 CONCACAF FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP BY POSITION (Club/Hometown)
Key: (Hometown ; Club); Fixo = Defender, Ala = Winger / Midfielder, Pivot = Target / Forward
GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Diego Moretti (Ancona, Italy; Unattached), 11-Robert Damron (Northville, Mich.; Michigan Futsal Factory), 12-Estevan Vazquez (Fort Worth, Texas; Mesquite Outlaws)
FIXOS (3): 4-Eduardo Buenfil (San Jose, Calif.; Unattached), 5-Julian Escobar (Hicksville, NY; Harrisburg Heat), 15-Guilherme Veiga (Milwaukee, Wisc.; Milwaukee Wave)
ALAS (7): 3-Jeremy Klepal (Lansing, Mich.; Lansing City FC), 6-Luciano Gonzalez (Mendoza, Argentina; Citta di Massa C5/ITA), 8-Daniel Mattos (Chicago, Ill.; Milwaukee Wave), 9-David Ortiz (Dallas, Texas; Dallas Sidekicks), 10-Tomas Pondeca (Dallas, Texas; Paris Acasa/FRA), 14-Diego Bobadilla (Holland, Mich.; St. Louis Ambush), 16-Alencar Ventura-Junior (Tewksbury, Mass.; Safira Futsal)
PIVOS (3): 2-Raphael Araujo (Bound Brook, N.J.; NY Ecuador FC), 7-Everson Maciel (Milford, Conn.; Safira Futsal), 13-Zach Reget (Kenosha, Wisc.; Florida Tropics)
Head Coach: Dusan Jakica (Eden Prairie, Minn.)
Assistant Coach: Otto Orf (Akron, Ohio), Pablo da Silva (Fort Worth, Texas)
Jersey #, Name, Position, Age, Height, Weight, Hometown
#1 DIEGO MORETTI | GK | 39 | 6-1 | 187 | ANCONA, ITALY
Born Sept. 8, 1982 in Ancona, Italy… Mother is from New York, also has family in California… Has the most professional futsal experience on the USA roster… Will determine club future after 2021 World Cup…Made professional futsal debut in 2004 with Giampaoli Ancona in the Italian Serie A/2, helping the team earn promotion to Serie A for the 2006-07 season… Since then, has played in Serie B and A/2 with Porto San Giorgio (2007-08), Civitanova (2008-12), Forli (2012-14; 2016-17), Pesaro Fano (2014-16) and Futsal Coba (2017-19) before returning to Serie A with Petrarca Padova in 2019… Briefly joined Serie B side Montesicuro Tre Colli in 2020 before being granted his release in Jan. 2021 to return to Serie A with Padova... Has won five league championships/promotions with three different teams and the Coppa Italia while at Pesaro Fano… Made his USA debut on Feb. 28, 2020 against Slovenia… Played all six games at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship, registering two assists.
#2 RAPHAEL ARAUJO | PIVO | 28 | 5-10 | 170 | BOUND BROOK, N.J.
Born Oct. 7, 1992 in Vitoria, Brazil… Moved to the U.S. when he was 13… Played at North Plainfield HS (N.J.) and one season at New Jersey City University before transferring to Rutgers-Newark University (DIII), where he scored 46 goals in his final two seasons and was named an All-American… Played with Icon FC (ASL), then transitioned to futsal with New Jersey Copa FC… Coached NY Red Bulls Youth training programs and Regional Development School camps from 2015-17… Coach at FC Copa Academy… Part of the USA roster at the 2020 Futsal Week Winter Cup in Porec, Croatia, but did not play in an official international match… Played in five games at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship, earning his first cap on May 3 against El Salvador and scoring his first goal on May 7 vs. Dominican Republic… IG: @raphael.araujo9
#3 JEREMY KLEPAL | ALA | 28 | 5-11 | 190 | LANSING, MICH.
Born Dec. 6, 1992 in Delta Township, Mich.… Played youth soccer under Hank Leung at Phoenix Soccer Academy… Attended and played at Grand Ledge HS… Played two years at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. before turning to futsal… Traveled to Brazil to train with Sao Paulo FC… Currently plays futsal for Lansing City Futsal in Lansing, Mich.… Made his U.S. Futsal NT debut on May 3, 2021 in a 1-1 draw with El Salvador at the Concacaf Futsal Championship… Played all six games at the World Cup qualifying tournament, scoring his first two goals against Nicaragua and another in the semifinals against Guatemala… Also scored in the semifinal penalty shootout against Guatemala… IG: @jklepal
#4 EDUARDO BUENFIL | FIXO | 24 | 5-8 | 155 | SAN JOSE, CALIF.
Born Sept. 11, 1997 in San Jose, Calif… Graduated from James Lick HS in San Jose, Calif. (2016)… Played club soccer at PAC (Portuguese Athletic Club) Soccer Academy.... Played four years at San Jose State University, graduating in May 2021 with a major in public health and minor in business… Parents are from Mexico… Speaks fluent Spanish… Nickname is ‘Lalo’… Was playing with Top Notch Futsal when identified at ID camp in San Francisco, Calif… Made his U.S. Futsal NT debut on Feb. 28, 2020 against Slovenia… Scored his first international goal against Montenegro on March 2, 2020, added two more against Moldova (March 3) and another against Morocco (March 5) at the 2020 Futsal Week Winter Cup… Played in five games at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship, scoring against Nicaragua and the last penalty kick against Guatemala that sent the U.S. to the final… IG: @buenfileddie
#5 JULIAN ESCOBAR | FIXO | 33 | 5-6 | 140 | HICKSVILLE, N.Y.
Born Dec. 12, 1987 in Queens, N.Y.… Played at Monsignor McClancy Memorial HS in Jackson Heights, N.Y… Has Colombian family and speaks fluent Spanish… Played collegiately at Long Island University Post (C.W. Post)… Has played pro indoor with Baltimore Blast and currently with Harrisburg Heat (MASL)… Also played futsal with NY Ecuadors… Has coached NYCFC youth programs from U-9 to U-15 since 2018… Earned first U.S. Futsal NT cap against Croatia on Jan. 24, 2016… Played five games at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship, scoring his first three goals on May 5 in a 4-2 win vs. Cuba…Owns Via Futsal Academy... IG: @jewellszs
#6 LUCIANO GONZALEZ | ALA | 26 | 5-7 | 145 | MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Born Nov. 7, 1994 in Stratford, N.J.… Family moved to Argentina, where he started playing futsal with Club Aleman de Mendoza at age seven… Played for Futsal Club Toronto at the 2015 Intercontinental Futsal Cup in Brazil… Debuted in Italian Serie A/2 with Polisportiva Sanmichele in 2016/17… Played briefly for Sporting Venafro in Serie B before joining Serie A2’s Buldog Lucrezia in July 2020, where he scored 15 goals during the 2020-21 season… Has represented Argentina at non-FIFA affiliated international futsal tournaments… Nickname is ‘Lucho’… Made his U.S. Futsal NT debut on May 3 against El Salvador at the Concacaf Futsal Championship… Played all six games at the tournament, recording two assists against Nicaragua, scoring his first goal on May 5 against Cuba and adding goals in the semifinal against Guatemala and final against Costa Rica… Signed with Italian Serie A/2 side Citta di Massa C5 in summer 2021… IG: @luchogonzalez.07
#7 EVERSON MACIEL | PIVO | 43 | 6-1 | 195 | MILFORD, CONN.
Born March 14, 1978 in Lodrina, Parana, Brazil… Grew up playing futsal in Brazil, starting his professional futsal career with Gremio Londrinense from 1993-1995 and Corinthians in 1996… Also played outdoor for Londrina EC and Rio Branco de Americana… Moved to the U.S. in 1999 to play for Quinnipiac University… In 2003, played for Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia where he won the FA Cup, scoring the winning goal in overtime… Returned to the U.S. in 2004 and played indoor for the Cleveland Force and Western Mass Pioneers from 2004-08… Has played for Safira Futsal in Boston since 2011… Started Everson Soccer Academy in Woodbridge, Conn. in 2005 and today also runs various soccer clubs in New England… Made his U.S. Futsal NT debut and scored his first goal on May 3, 2021 against El Salvador at the Concacaf Futsal Championship, where he played all six games and scored in the semifinal penalty shootout against Guatemala… IG: @eversonmaciel_9
#8 DANIEL MATTOS | ALA | 35 | 5-11 | 165 | CHICAGO, IL.
Born March 20, 1986 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil… Played outdoor on youth teams from Fluminense, Madureira, Iraty-PR and Goiais EC, as well as futsal at Fluminense, Madureira, Tio Sam and Teresópolis… Moved to the U.S. and played for Penn State University in 2006 and 2007… After redshirting in 2008, transferred and played two years at the University of West Florida… Received MBA from Eastern Michigan University in Dec. 2015… Played indoor pro soccer from 2013-16 with Detroit Waza Flo (MASL) and the next two seasons with the Milwaukee Wave, where he will again play in 2021… Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Futsal Factory Academy, which started in Michigan and now runs programs in Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin and Colorado… Made U.S. Futsal NT debut on March 24, 2016 in a friendly against Argentina and scored his first goal in a rematch the next night… Only player on World Cup team that played vs. Canada in the 2016 Concacaf Futsal Championship Qualifiers… Played all six games at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship… IG: @dmartini7
#9 DAVID ORTIZ | ALA | 20 | 5-9 | 140 | MCKINNEY, TEXAS
Born Sept. 20, 2000 in Plano, Texas… Grew up in nearby McKinney… Mom is from Colombia, dad is from Venezuela… Speaks fluent Spanish… Played with FC Dallas Academy until he was 16… Got his start in futsal as a youth player at City Futsal… Played at McKinney Boyd HS during sophomore and junior year… Turned pro during senior year, playing with CD Guijuelo in Spain’s Segunda Division B… Spent time with Colombian First Division side Envigado FC… Signed with the Dallas Sidekicks of the MASL in 2021… Made his debut with the U.S. Futsal NT on Sept. 4, 2021 against Slovakia… Coaches and runs personalized training sessions with MasterJoga in Dallas…IG: @DFO31
#10 TOMAS PONDECA | ALA | 19 | 5-10 | 150 | DALLAS, TEXAS
Born Oct. 10, 2001 in Tucson, Ariz., but grew up in Dallas… Played four years at Marcus High School in Texas, where he was named an Allstate All-American before graduating in May 2020 and dedicating himself to futsal… Grew up playing at City Futsal in Dallas, winning three futsal national championships… Played futsal briefly with Brazil’s Santos FC in 2019… Joined Paris Acasa Futsal (FFF D1) in 2020, scoring his first goal in his debut on Nov. 21, 2020… Learned to speak Portuguese from his father and grandparents, who are from Mozambique… Made his U.S. Futsal NT debut and scored his first two goals on Feb. 28 and March 2, both times against Slovenia… Added two more the next day against Moldova at the 2020 Futsal Week Winter Cup in Porec, Croatia… Played five games at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship, scoring against Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic… Named Young Player of the Tournament at World Cup qualifying… IG: @tomas10_official
#11 ROBERT DAMRON | GK | 19 | 5-10 | 165 | NORTHVILLE, MICH.
Born March 25, 2002 in Santa Monica, Calif. but family moved to Michigan when he was an infant… Played six years for Futsal Factory Academy and then semi-pro with the Ann Arbor Mudpuppies for three years… Won 2020 youth regional title and National Futsal Premier League titles in 2019 and 2021… Played traditional club soccer for Michigan Rush Northville… Made U.S. Futsal NT debut on Sept. 7, 2021 in a start against Slovakia in Bratislava… Current coach/goalkeeping director at teammate Daniel Mattos’ Futsal Factory Academy…Youngest player on the World Cup roster…IG: @robert_damron
#12 ESTEVEN VAZQUEZ | GK | 25 | 6-2 | 200 | FORT WORTH, TEXAS
Born Sept. 1, 1996 in Sacramento, Calif. but has lived in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area since he was 10… Parents are from Mexico… Played club soccer with Solar / Andromeda… Joined the FC Dallas academy in eighth grade and helped the team win the 2012 U-17/18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy Championship… Spent time playing professionally in Mexico for Gallos Blancos de Querétaro and Halcones de Morelos… Has played with the Mesquite Outlaws in the MASL since 2019… Made his U.S. Futsal NT debut as a starter against Slovenia on Feb. 28, 2020 in a 3-2 win… Co-owns Villarreal North Texas Academy… IG: @estevan_916
#13 ZACH REGET | PIVO | 25 | 6-0 | 188 | KENOSHA, WISC.
Born May 7, 1995 in Kenosha, Wisc… Named All-State at Bradford HS in Wisconsin… Also played basketball… Played club with Kenosha Crew and SC Waukesha… Played four years at Trinity International University, where he was named an All-American… Made pro debut in 2018 with St. Louis Ambush (MASL) and was named MASL Rookie of the Year after scoring 22 goals and adding 10 assists in 24 games... Traded to the Florida Tropics in Oct. 2019, where he has won back-to-back regular season titles… Coaches youth soccer in Kenosha… Made his U.S. Futsal NT debut on May 3 against El Salvador at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship… Played in all six games at the tournament and scored his first goal in the final against Costa Rica… Scored his second goal against Slovakia on Sept. 7, 2021… IG: @zregs08
#14 DIEGO BOBADILLA | ALA | 28 | 5-6 | 150 | HOLLAND, MICH.
Born Aug. 27, 1993 in Los Angeles, Calif…. Parents are from Mexico…. Moved to Holland, Mich. at the age of four… Played at Cornerstone University… Started playing futsal sophomore year of college with ABK of Grand Rapids… Played professional indoor soccer with Cedar Rapids Rampage from 2016- 2017 before signing with his current club, the St. Louis Ambush, in 2018… Made U.S. Futsal NT debut against Croatia on Jan. 24, 2016… Part-owner of WSG Futsal Club in Milwaukee, Wisc. and coaches with Strike FCIG… IG: @diegobobadilla13
#15 GUILHERME VEIGA | FIXO | 37 | 6-1 | 185 | MILWAUKEE, WISC.
Born April 21, 1984 in Porte Alegre, Brazil… Played at Morton College (Illinois)… Began pro indoor career with the Chicago Mustangs in 2012 and joined the Milwaukee Wave (MASL) in Sept. 2015... Member of Utah Elite Futsal (Provo) team that finished second at the 2017 Concacaf Futsal Club Championship and played at the subsequent 2018 Intercontinental Futsal Cup in Thailand… Re-signing with the Milwaukee Wave for 2021 season…IG: @veigagui
#16 ALENCAR VENTURA-JUNIOR | ALA | 35 | 6-1 | 175 | TEWKSBURY, MASS.
Born Sept. 18, 1985 in Itabirinha de Mantena, Minas Gerais, Brazil… Family moved to Ji-Parana, Rondônia, where he played futsal and outdoor with third-division side Ji-Parana… Moved to the USA in Nov. 2007 to live with brother Rogerio, who was based in Boston… Has played with the Western Mass Pioneers (USL League Two) and pro indoor with the Las Vegas Legends, Cedar Rapids Rampage and Utica FC…. Was on the Utah Elite Futsal (Provo) team that finished second at the 2017 Concacaf Futsal Club Championship and played in the subsequent 2018 World Intercontinental Futsal Cup in Thailand… Nicknamed Juninho Pedalada… Made U.S. Futsal NT debut on May 3 against El Salvador at the 2021 Concacaf Futsal Championship, where he played all six games and scored in the semifinal penalty shootout against Guatemala…IG: @juninhopedalada4
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