U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH FRANCIS FARBEROFF SELECTS 12-PLAYER ROSTER FOR MARANHÃO INTERNATIONAL CUP IN BRAZIL
Beach MNT Will Face Brazil, United Arab Emirates and Morocco in Final Camp Before Selecting 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Roster
CHICAGO, Ill. (Jan. 4, 2024) - U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team head coach Francis Farberoff has selected 12 players for the team’s January training camp to be held from Jan. 7-17 in Saõ Luis, Brazil, as well as play in the 2024 Maranhão International Cup against World No. 1-ranked Brazil, No. 8-ranked United Arab Emirates, and No. 16-ranked Morocco.
Continuing in U.S. Soccer’ mission to develop winning teams, the No. 13-ranked USBMNT will use the camp as its final preparation before Farberoff selects the squad that will represent the United States at the 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup to be held Feb. 15-25 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
MORE: 2023 USBMNT Results
MORE: 2023 USBMNT Statistics
“This is going to be a great tune up for us as we prepare for the World Cup,” said U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team head coach Francis Farberoff. “The Maranhão International Cup is a World Cup-level tournament just a month before we head to Dubai, and the intensity of the matches will be a good test for the players as we determine the final roster.”
U.S. MEN’S BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER (Hometown; Caps/Goals):
GOALKEEPERS (2): Austin Collier* (Chesapeake, Va.; 8/0), Brian Shushkovsky (Morganville, N.J.; 2/0)
DEFENDERS (2): Antonio Chavez* (Oceanside, Calif.; 32/7), Lukas Holocher (Santa Cruz, Calif.; 4/1)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Tanner Akol^ (Santa Cruz, Calif.; 21/11), Chris Albiston*^ (Virginia Beach, Va.; 45/21), Andres Navas (Miami, Fla.; 13/5), Cody Valcarcel* (Santa Cruz, Calif.; 18/5)
FORWARDS (4): Alessandro Canale*^ (Venice Beach, Calif.; 90/66), Ricardo Carvalho* (Tampa, Fla.; 7/3), Conner Rezende*^ (Davie, Fla.; 30/4), Gabe Silveira*^ (San Francisco, Calif.; 51/42)
*Member of 2023 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship Roster
^Member of 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Roster
MARANHÃO OPPONENTS & SCHEDULE
The three Maranhão International Cup opponents will serve as strong preparation for the Beach MNT as it strives to be the first U.S. team to advance from the group stage of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
The opening match on Jan. 12 will see the current champions of Concacaf and CONMEBOL face off as the USA takes on five-time World Cup holders Brazil. The founders of Beach Soccer, Brazil was the USBMNT’s first opponent when the national team’s modern era began in 2005 and has won all 10 matches against the United States. Current U.S. head coach and former USBMNT player Francis Farberoff was born in Rio de Janeiro, and appeared in his final international match against Brazil – an 8-7 loss on Aug. 14, 2014 in Hollywood, Fla.
Matchday Two on Jan. 13 will see the USA face United Arab Emirates in the same sequence in which the two teams will meet at February’s Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai. The USA and UAE have split the previous four meetings, with the USA earning a 5-3 win in the last contest on Nov. 9, 2018 at the Intercontinental Cup in Dubai.
The tournament finale on Jan. 14 pits the USA against Morocco for just the second time. The teams last met during the 2014 Intercontinental Cup, with the African side earning a 7-3 victory.