VANCOUVER, BC – At the tender age of 17, defenders Gianfranco Facchineri and Deylen Vellios have had some worldly experiences.
In the past month alone, the pair have represented Canada at the international level, competing in the CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Florida, where they were called upon as regular starters to help lead Canada to their first U-17 FIFA World Cup berth since 2013. The duo were among six 'Caps on the team, all of whom started throughout the tournament for the Red and White.
“The national team was an amazing experience for us, just a whole other level playing against international competition and getting to represent your country, which is massive,” says Vellios, “The pre-game moments, just waiting in the tunnel and having your name announced before the game, that was a really special moment for me.