MONTREAL - CF Montréal Academy players Patrick Arana Véliz, Léon Arkhurst, Oliver Bitté Essoukan, Éloi Breton, Samsy Keita, Prince Kiede, Zaky Lachhab, Gabriel Pandolfo, Raphaël Pascal and Lucas Rheault have been selected by Canada's U16 national team for two training camps in May.
Gabriel Pandolfo, a 15-year-old goalkeeper, will take part in the first training camp from May 8 to 18 in Poland, at a UEFA development tournament organized by the Polish Football Association. Canada will play friendly matches against Egypt (May 13), Ireland (May 15) and Poland (May 18).
Goalkeeper Samsy Keita (15), defenders Léon Arkhurst (15), Zaky Lachhab (15) and Lucas Rheault (16), as well as midfielders Patrick Arana Véliz (16), Éloi Breton (16), Oliver Bitté Essoukan (15), Prince Kiede (15) and Raphaël Pascal (16) will head to Guadeloupe for a second training camp from May 25 to June 1, where will they take part in a friendly tournament.
All ten players are currently with CF Montréal's U16 team in the MLS NEXT league.
Éloi Breton and Zaky Lachhab joined the organization via the Pre-Academy. Oliver Bitté Essoukan, Gabriel Pandolfo and Samsy Keita joined the Club from CS Longueuil in 2023 for the first two and 2024 for the third. Prince Kiede and Léon Arkhurst joined the academy respectively in 2023 and 2024 from CS Montréal Centre. Patrick Arana Véliz, trained at CS Saint-Laurent, joined the organization in 2024, as did Lucas Rheault, who arrived from Northside United FC in Edmonton, Alberta. Raphaël Pascal joined the Club in 2023 from Celtix Haut-Richelieu.
