A 13-year-old from Elkhart has been chosen to be on a soccer team that will play internationally.
The U.S. Club Soccer 2018 id² National Selection International Tour will travel to Spain this week for the 18th annual Mediterranean International Cup. The group represents 12 states and two countries from some of the top youth clubs in America.
Of the 18 hand-picked soccer players taking the trip, Allan Rodriguez Lopez is the only from Indiana. He tells News Now Warsaw it means a lot to him to represent Elkhart.
“Mostly all the kids that are going are from big cities, and I’m the only one from a little city in northern Indiana,” he explains. “It’s an honor to represent us.
The Cup features the best soccer clubs and national academy teams in the world. The id² Boys Program had the best tournament finish of a U.S.-based team last year when they advanced to the quarterfinals.
Allan, who plays as a midfielder with the San Antonio FC, says his Hoosier values helped him reach this accomplishment.
“I’ve lived in Indiana all my life and it’s really nice to be a Hoosier and represent my state when I go to Spain,” he tells News Now Warsaw.
He says he’s excited to see Barcelona and participate in the competition. This is his first time taking a trip out of the country.
The team heading to Spain is part of an Olympic Development Program approved by the United State Olympic Committee and U.S. Soccer Federation.
They’ll be returning to the United State in April.
