Get to Know the U.S. Futsal National Team

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USA ROSTER FOR 2021 CONCACAF FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP BY POSITION (Club/Hometown)

Key: (Club / Hometown); Fixo = Defender; Ala = Winger / Midfielder; Pivot = Target / Forward

 

GOALKEEPERS (2): 1-Eduardo Macias (Unattached; Dallas, Texas), 12-Diego Moretti (Petrarca Padova/ITA; Ancona, Italy)

FIXOS (3):
 13-Eduardo Buenfil (Unattached; San Jose, Calif.), 5-Julian Escobar (Harrisburg Heat - MASL; Hicksville, N.Y.), 8-Guilherme Veiga (Milwaukee Wave - MASL; Milwaukee, Wisc.)


ALAS (6):
 14-Luciano Gonzalez (Buldog Lucrezia/ITA; Mendoza, Argentina), 6-Jeremy Klepal (Lansing City Futsal; Lansing, Mich.), 7-Daniel Mattos (Compass United Futsal; Chicago, Ill.), 11-Tomas Pondeca (Paris Acasa/FRA; Dallas, Texas), 10-Ricardo de Maria Sobreira (Florida Tropics - MASL; Lakeland, Fla.), 4-Alencar Ventura-Junior (Safira Futsal; Tewksbury, Mass.)

PIVOS (3):
 3-Raphael Araujo (NY Ecuador Futsal; Bound Brook, N.J.), 9-Everson Maciel (Safira Futsal; Milford, Conn.), 2-Zach Reget (Florida Tropics - MASL; Kenosha, Wisc.)

 


Head Coach:
Dusan Jakica (Eden Prairie, Minn.)

Assistant Coach: Otto Orf (Akron, Ohio)

Assistant Coach: Pablo da Silva (Fort Worth, Tex.)

 

Jersey #, Name, Position, Age, Height, Weight, Hometown


 

 

#3 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 (NJ)… Played 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 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 Schools camps from 2015-17)… Coach at FC Copa Academy…IG: @raphael.araujo9

 

#13 EDUARDO BUENFIL | FIXO | 23 | 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… Set to graduate in May 2021, majoring in public health and minoring in business… Speaks Spanish… Nickname is ‘Lalo’… Was playing with Top Notch Futsal when identified at ID camp in San Francisco, Calif.

 

#5 JULIAN ESCOBAR | FIXO | 33 | 5-6 | 140 | HICKSVILLE, N.Y.

Born Dec. 12, 1987 in Queens, NY… Played at Monsignor McClancy Memorial HS in Jackson Heights, N.Y… Played collegiately at Long Island University Post (C.W. Post)… Has played pro indoor with Baltimore Blast and currently with Harrisburg Heat (MASL)… Has coached NYCFC youth programs from U-9 – U-15 since 2018… Earned first cap with Futsal NT in 2016… Owns Via Futsal Academy… Speaks Spanish... Nickname is ‘Jules’…IG: @jewellszs

 

#14 LUCIANO GONZALEZ | ALA | 26 | 5-7 | 145 | MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Born Nov. 4, 1994 in New Jersey… Family moved to Argentina, where he started playing futsal with Club Aleman de Mendoza, at age 7… Played for Futsal Club Toronto for the 2015 Intercontinental Futsal Cup in Brazil… Debuted in Italian Seria A/2 with Polisportiva Sanmichele in 2016/17… Played briefly for Sporting Venafro in Serie B before joining Buldog Lucrezia in Serie A2 in July 2020, where he scored 15 goals during the 2020-21 season… Has represented Argentina at non-FIFA affiliated international futsal tournaments… Nicknamed is ‘Lucho’…IG: @luchogonzalez.07

 

#6 JEREMY KLEPAL | ALA | 28 | 5-11 | 190 | LANSING, MICH.

Born Dec. 6, 1992 in Grand Ledge, Michigan… Attended and played at Grand Ledge HS… Played youth soccer in Flint, Mich. … Has previously trained/played in Sao Paolo, Brazil… Played four years at Northwood University… Owner/coach/player at Lansing City Futsal of Premier Futsal Soccer League.

 

#1 EDUARDO MACIAS | GK | 28 | 5-9 | 160 | DALLAS, TEXAS

Born March 3, 1993 in Dallas, Texas… Nickname is ‘Choco’… The most capped player on current roster, having made his international debut in 2015… Was the youngest member of the Futsal National Team that played Canada in the 2016 Concacaf Championship Qualifiers… Played for Elite Futsal Club at the 2017 Concacaf Club Futsal Championship (second place) and at the subsequent 2018 Intercontinental Futsal Cup in Thailand… Played for various clubs in national and international futsal tournaments around the U.S. and world… Passionate student of classical art from various periods… IG: @chocochoa333

 

#9 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… IG: @eversonmaciel_9

 

#7 DANIEL MATTOS | ALA | 35 | 5-11 | 165 | CHICAGO, ILL.

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... Won the Rio de Janeiro U-19 State Championship… Moved to the U.S. and played freshman and sophomore seasons (2006 and 2007) at Penn State University… 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 Waz Flo (MASL) and the next two seasons with the Milwaukee Wave… Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Futsal Factory Academy… Played on the Futsal NT that played Canada in the 2016 Concacaf Futsal Championship Qualifiers… IG: @dmartini7

 

#12 DIEGO MORETTI | GK | 39 | 6-1 | 187 | ANCONA, ITALY

Born Sept. 8, 1982 in Ancona, Italy… Mother is from New York and he also has family in California… Has the most professional futsal experience on the USA roster… 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.

 

#11 TOMAS PONDECA | ALA | 19 | 5-10 | 150 | DALLAS, TEXAS

Born Oct. 10, 2001 in Tucson, Ariz., but grew up in Dallas… Youngest member of the roster, Pondeca 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, where he won three futsal national championships and his father coaches… Played futsal briefly with Santos FC in Brazil in 2019… Joined Paris Acasa Futsal (FFF D1) in 2020, making five appearances and scoring his first goal in his debut on Nov. 21, 2020 in a 5-7 loss to Bethune Futsal… Scored again against Toulouse on Jan. 9, 2021… Speaks Portuguese, learned from multiple trips to Brazil and from his father/grandparents, who are from Mozambique…IG: @tomas10_official 

 

#2 ZACH REGET | PIVO | 25 | 6’ | 188 | KENOSHA, WISC.

Born May 7, 1995 in Kenosha, Wisc…. Named All-State at Bradford High School in Wisconsin… Also played basketball… Played club with Kenosha Crew and SC Waukesha… Played four years at Trinity International University, where he was named 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… IG: @zregs08

 

#10 RICARDO SOBREIRA | ALA | 32 | 5-7 | 127 | LAKELAND, FLA.

Born Jan. 6, 1989 in Sao Paulo, Brazil… Nicknamed “Ricardinho"… Began playing futsal with the U-17 and U-20 teams at Palmeiras and Indaiatuba… Moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 2009 with family due to his father's job… Started indoor pro career with the Las Vegas Legends after impressing in a tryout… Also played for Detroit Waza Flo and Milwaukee Wave (2019 MASL champion) before joining the Florida Tropics… Played on the 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… Also played for U.S.-based World United at the 2013 Intercontinental Futsal Cup in Greensboro, NC…IG: @rikadez

 

#8 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 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.

 

#4 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… Brother Rogerio was living in Boston, so he moved to the USA to be with him in Nov. 2007… 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… IG: @juninhopedalada4



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