Manuel Neuer. Mesut Ozil. Julian Draxler. Joel Matip.
That’s not just a list of talented (world-class in some cases) soccer players. It’s a list of talent developed and honed by famous Bundesliga club Schalke 04. “Schalker Knappenschmeide,” the club’s prestigious youth academy, has churned out some truly special players over the last 20 years and recently they’ve turned their attention to the United States in search of their next big youth star.
Two American youth stars are currently being brought up in the Schalke system with a third soon to join them. Haji Wright and Weston McKinnie star for the club’s under-19 team and are slowly working their way up the ladder to first team chances, most recently joining the club for winter break training camp in Spain.