With the amazing Dallas Cup in our rearview mirror, it’s time for a look back at who in the FC Dallas Academy made the biggest climbs on my boards from their play at DC 2024.
Ok, ok… and at the GA Cup.
For this purpose, I am naming ONE player per Academy team that most improved their standings on my board with their play in either big tournament.
NOT the best, the most improved.
U19s – Dallas Cup
The 19s overachieved under the excellent coaching of Chuy Vera. You might expect me to say Daniel Baran who was FCD’s most dangerous and decisive player. He was immediately rewarded with North Texas SC time. But I already thought he deserved NTX playing time and was their most decisive player.
Instead, the biggest mover is…
Aiden Bazzell
This Dallas Cup was by far the best I’ve ever seen Bazzell play. He’s committed to High Point, a growing D1 soccer program in the North Carolina Triangle. During this Cup run, he looked steady, confident, and mature. He was leading and organizing, rarely got beat on pace, and played some high-level defense. He’s even improved his passing.
Is he the 19s best defender? No. But he made a massive leap in my eyes, which is the point here in this piece. Well done, Aiden.
U17s – Generation adidas Cup
This is a team I have seen a bunch so I have strong opinions on all these players. And while their GA Cup games weren’t broadcast to the public, I did manage to see a couple of them.
There is a player in this group who recently swapped positions and I’m starting to buy into the hype.
Ian Charles
Charles played up a year in this tournament as a 6 last year but I never loved him in that spot.
This season he’s been moved to center back and he’s blowing everyone away. I am still not 100% all in yet, but I like him much better back there. I had only seen him once at CB prior to this tourney and seeing him play well in the couple of games I had access to is moving him up quickly. This group gave up 1 goal all tournament.
He always had size and power but by bringing a midfielder’s game to center back he’s immediately a stronger passer and ball handler than most. That’s massive in the modern game. He’s also tough and a leader. Plus he’s pushing 6’2″ and that matters.
There’s a big upside here and North Texas PT needs to come this summer.
U16s – Dallas Cup
The U16s underachieved and played well below their potential being eliminated after finishing 3rd in their group. There are some good players here that I quite like but it was one of the new players who was quite impressive.
Ougir Vega
Vega was a midfielder for Dallas Hornets and is a Puerto Rico U15. That Youth International status got him on my Non-FCD players to watch at Dallas Cup 2024 list. But it turned out he joined FCD just a couple of weeks before the Dallas Cup.
And he looked pretty dang good. Perhaps the 2nd best midfielder in this group after my man Andre Saucedo (who is already very high on my board for the 2008s). Vega was playing as a linking 8 with some freedom to get forward. He looked dynamic and interesting with an all-around quality game. I want to see more.
U15s – Generation adidas Cup
The 15s struggled in the first couple of games and then turned it on in the final group game and consolation games after. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see any of their games.
But we have a great story that shows composure, leadership, and mental toughness by one of their better defenders.
Christian Wygant
In game three of the group stage, FCD’s keeper got a red card with 5 minutes left. But since FCD had used up all their subs, a field player had to do in goal. Wygant was chosen (allegedly he’s done it before).
Wygant played about 8 total minutes after extra time was added with the game finishing 1-1.
Then in the PKs, Wygant took the first PK for FCD (as he usually does) converting it… then in the 8th or 9th round, he saved one to get FCD the points.
U14s – Dallas Cup
As usual, this was my first viewing of the U14s at Dallas Cup. This class is the 2010s who are alleged to be very good. I knew a couple of names in this group coming in and yes, they are very good with multiple players living up to the hype.
But one player really stood out that I knew nothing about him coming in.
Tamba Hallie II
Over the games I watched, Hallie was this group’s best player. He was so dynamic and impressive. So from knowing nothing to best player is a huge leap.
This kid is ridiculously fast. He runs past everyone, even other “fast” players. But he can also ball. He’s not looking to play Xavi-style tiki-taka but he does combine well. His first touch is nice, he can pass and dribble, and he hit an absolute banger of a free-kick goal.
And that’s the youngest age group I watched.
Thank you for recognizing my Tamba….I think he’s pretty awey too,
biased mama 😀
Hi mom!