The successful 2023 Alianza de Fútbol Tour closed a new chapter in its history with forty-seven young players recruited in the Allstate Sueño Alianza National Showcase.

Throughout the year, more than four thousand young players tried out at the Allstate Sueño Alianza tryouts across the United States, on different dates in cities with a significant Hispanic presence. Of them, 64 young players, who were the best of the circuit, qualified for the National Showcase, testing their skills in Mesa, Arizona, in front of scouts from Liga MX, MLS, and MLS NEXT, as well as the Mexican and United States Soccer Federations.

SCOUTS IN ATTENDANCE:

- Mexican Football Federation

- US Soccer

- MLS NEXT: Barca Academy

- Liga MX: America, Atlas, San Luis, Chivas, Juarez, Leon, Monterrey, Necaxa, Pachuca, Santos y Toluca.

- MLS: Austin FC, FC Dallas, Columbus Crew, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake and Portland Timbers.

The unforgettable experience began with the distribution of uniforms, followed by mentions of each participant, socializing, board games like the popular 'Jenga', the popular sport of pickleball, a fun photo session, and interviews with TUDN, introducing them to the professional world of soccer, as well as counseling.

After participating in conferences and training, as well as healthy socializing, the young players, divided into different groups, played various matches against teams like Barca Academy, leaving good impressions on the scouts who attended the National Showcase.

Many participants got the scouts' attention from the first moment and raised great interest due to their soccer performance.

After four days of activities, the scarf awarding ceremony at the closing event, led by Rafael Calderón, Soccer & Coaching Director of For Soccer, and Lindsay Casinelli, TUDN, and ViX host, was the stage for the delivery of invitations.

Taylor Twellman, former United States National Team player and current commentator on Apple TV, addressed the young players, inviting them with an emotional speech to enjoy the moment they were living and to keep trying when things did not turn out as expected. This also applies to those who were not selected who will seek a new opportunity next year.

Regarding 2023 for Alianza de Futbol, Eduardo Ruiz, Sr. Director of Soccer Property Operations at For Soccers, explained: “This year represents another opportunity to be close to the Hispanic community, another year to support them in their soccer development, another year of having generated all these ties in the community.”

Alianza de Futbol's ability to continue attracting the Hispanic market is mainly due to the solid reputation of its brand, built over 20 years of close commitment to the community. This recognition has been earned thanks to the perception of the program as a legitimate and effective initiative. Sueño Alianza stands out especially for its coherence and consistency over the years, maintaining its principles and offering the same values without hidden economic interests, in line with our mission, as Ruíz emphasized.

Aric Mata from Sunland Park, NM, turned out to be the most fortunate with the highest number of invitations, as he shone the brightest at the National Showcase, being called by Austin FC, Club America, Chivas, Rayados de Monterrey, Toluca, FC Juarez, Necaxa, Real Salt Lake, Pachuca, Santos, San Luis, and Portland Timbers. Owen Cruz, who qualified for the National after the Houston, TX tryout, took second place in the highest number of invitations, with nine from America, Chivas, Monterrey, Toluca, FC Juarez, Necaxa, Pachuca, Houston Dynamo, and Atlético San Luis, opening the opportunity to possibly stay home with the Houston Dynamo of the Major League Soccer in the United States.

Anthony Arango, qualified after the El Paso tryouts, which broke records, and Xavier Soria, who earned his place in the National Showcase after the Denver tryouts, tied for third place with the highest number of invitations, with eight. Arango was recruited by Chivas, Pachuca, Monterrey, San Luis, Bravos FC, Toluca, Real Salt Lake, and Portland Timbers, while Soria was chosen by Chivas, Atlas, Necaxa, Pachuca, Monterrey, Bravos FC, America, and Real Salt Lake.

Women's soccer also stood out in the National Showcase, delivering the highest number of invitations to Ashlee Mora from Albuquerque, Elena Vera from Fairfield CA, and Keirah Hope from Auburn, WA, each with three calls. Mora was selected by Chivas, FC Juárez, and Toluca Diablas, while Vera and Hope were chosen by FC Juárez, Club América, and Toluca.

“It's not the number of young people we have helped that matters most, but the significant impact we have in changing the life of even a single young person and their family through soccer. That is the true value of our effort. For me, this transformation, regardless of the scale, is deeply rewarding. The essential thing is to maintain our commitment and continue providing support to these young people,” said Eduardo Ruíz in his conclusions of the 2023 Tour.

For Alianza, the support provided by each of the attending clubs and their respective scouts is crucial, as it strengthens the work of identifying and capturing emerging talents for the teams. There is a vast field of opportunities for new signings, and the support of these clubs is fundamental to explore and take advantage of these possibilities.

Support plays a crucial role, especially in the scouting process. Without the collaboration of the clubs and the opportunities they offer to young players, scouting simply would not be possible. It's not just about teams offering opportunities; we facilitate their coming to the United States and open the doors to a new market. At Alianza, we offer them the possibility to discover new talents. This synergy results in mutual benefit for three parties: the children, the clubs, and Alianza as an organization.

Meanwhile, Access U recognized the talent of Jancarlos Castañón from Hobbs, NM, and Emily Morales from El Paso, TX, granting them a place in Access U, a property that allows young people to pursue a university career while playing collegiate soccer at universities in the United States.

Thus ended a spectacular week, after a totally successful year, and that is gearing up for a 2024 that looks promising and is set to surpass all expectations of the Tour, both with Sueño and the different competitions.

“For next year, our goal is to expand our reach to more young people, including both boys and girls passionate about soccer and eager to get involved. We want to guide them in their soccer development and provide them with more tools to enhance their skills,” Ruiz emphasized."

November 16, 2023