Tonight, FC Dallas’ success developing from within will be on national display.
As the future of MLS competes in the 2015 Chipotle Homegrown Game, FCD Academy products Alex Zendejas, Coy Craft and Jesse Gonzalez will represent the game’s largest contingent from any one team in the league.
“I will say this over and over, I believe in the talent in America,” said head coach Oscar Pareja, who led the FC Dallas Youth development system from 2008-11. “I believe we have tremendous players in this country - they just need an opportunity. For me to see them go and perform and be part of such a great event is a pride for us. America has great players and we have to believe in that.”
“I think it’s a big honor, probably one of the biggest [of my career],” Zendejas said. “I’m prepared and ready and hopefully [will] represent the team well.”
Zendejas is currently the youngest active player in MLS at 17 years old. The midfielder made club history on May 1 against Houston – subbing on to make his MLS debut as FC Dallas played with four homegrown players on the field at once for the first time – closing out a 4-1 win. Zendejas has played 133 minutes across five league matches in 2015, including one start.
Craft, in his first full season with Dallas, made his lone 2015 league appearance in a 3-0 loss to Seattle on June 13, subbing on in the 84th minute, though he has appeared on multiple gameday rosters and recently returned from United States U-18 National Team camp.
Gonzalez has yet to make his MLS debut in his third season with FC Dallas, but was the starting goalkeeper for the Mexican U-20 team at the 2015 U-20 World Cup. In the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs, Gonzalez served as the back up in two of FCD's three matches.
For all three young players, Pareja hopes they can soon be regular contributors to Dallas’ league-leading minutes played by homegrown players – led by fellow Academy products Victor Ulloa, Kellyn Acosta and Moises Hernandez.
“We're in an ongoing process - we're growing, we're still young,” Pareja said. “Now I'm seeing a combination of that young energy and spirit that you see in the field with some maturity that we are getting into the games. The boys are certainly growing.”
“It just shows how much confidence the coaches have in all of us youth players,” Zendejas said of being able to compete in his rookie season. “[They trust us to] play at our best.”
