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LA Galaxy sign midfielder Jose Villarreal as Homegrown Player
The local product could play a role in the Galaxy's midfield in 2012.
Dec 22, 2011 6:16:00 PM
By Seth Vertelney
LA Galaxy
The LA Galaxy announced they have signed 18-year-old midfielder Jose Villarreal as a Homegrown Player. Villarreal becomes the third Homegrown signing the Galaxy have made, after Tristan Bowen in 2008 and Jack McBean in 2011.
“Jose is a player that we have known and watched for a long time and it’s been great to have him in our Academy this past year,” Galaxy Academy senior director Chris Klein said. “He has a tremendous amount of promise and potential and we’re excited that he’ll be able to continue his development with the first team.”
The Inglewood, Calif. native was in his first season with the Galaxy Academy after joining from local club team Pateadores. Villarreal helped Pateadores win the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-18 championship in July, scoring 20 goals in 31 games for the club.
Villarreal played with the U.S. U-18 team at the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland in July 2011, starting all three games in the competition. He was also a part of the U.S. U-23 camp that was held last month in Germany.
“It’s been my dream ever since I was little to be a professional soccer player, so to be able to do that and stay close to home so that I can play in front of my family and friends is a dream come true,” Villarreal said.
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“Jose is a player that we have known and watched for a long time and it’s been great to have him in our Academy this past year,” Galaxy Academy senior director Chris Klein said. “He has a tremendous amount of promise and potential and we’re excited that he’ll be able to continue his development with the first team.”
The Inglewood, Calif. native was in his first season with the Galaxy Academy after joining from local club team Pateadores. Villarreal helped Pateadores win the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-18 championship in July, scoring 20 goals in 31 games for the club.
Villarreal played with the U.S. U-18 team at the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland in July 2011, starting all three games in the competition. He was also a part of the U.S. U-23 camp that was held last month in Germany.
“It’s been my dream ever since I was little to be a professional soccer player, so to be able to do that and stay close to home so that I can play in front of my family and friends is a dream come true,” Villarreal said.
Follow Goal.com on
to get the latest soccer news directly. Check out Goal.com's page; be part of the best soccer fan community in the world!
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