The Academy sides wrap up the 2025 preseason with accolades, call-ups and a trip to Morocco
The Chicago Fire Academy wrapped up its 2025 preseason with the U16s' trip to Morocco, a handful of matches at the Endeavor Health Performance Center and some highlight performances for Chicago Fire FC II.
U16
The U16 side traveled to Khouribga, Morocco to take part in the 2025 Green Eyes International Tournament as the only MLS-affiliated club in the competition.
The team played matches against Moroccan academy sides FUS Rabat and Wydad AC. Deandre Beckford had a tournament to remember, opening up the tournament with a goal in a 1-1 draw against FUS Rabat, and featuring prominently against Raja Casablanca and Wydad AC. Although the Fire were unable to advance to the tournament finals, Beckford did not come away empty-handed, winning the Best Player of the Tournament award. The award was notable, given the presence of some of the best prospects in Moroccan football, as well as highly touted youth players from European giants AFC Ajax and S.L. Benfica.
U13
Back at the Endeavor Health Performance Center, the U13s played a friendly match against the Chicago City U14 squad. The Fire set the tone early, running out to a 6-2 victory to kick off the preseason action on Saturday.
Joey Bernardi recorded a brace to lead his side, as Ethan Brugman, Daniel Usikalu and Haroon Mmadi also scored. Gvidas Masiulionis wrapped up the morning match nicely for the Fire with yet another goal in a hot preseason.
U14, U15 & U18
The three remaining Academy sides followed the U13s with matches against Michigan Wolves sides playing an age up on the same day.
Deandre’s brother Leandre Beckford scored the lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Wolves’ U15 side. The U15s and U18s dropped their matches to an equivalent 4-2 scoreline against the Wolves' U16 and U19 sides, respectively. Darris Hyte and Brody Williams tallied for the Fire’s eldest Academy side, missing a few teammates due to call-ups for both club and country.
Outside the Academy
Academy players Roko Pehar and Oscar Pineda earned call-ups to the U-17 national teams of the United States and Mexico, respectively. Pehar joined head coach Alex Aldaz and the U-17 USMNT in a camp from Sept. 1-8 in Fayetteville, Ga. Meanwhile, Pineda joined the Mexico U-17 MNT for the Vaclav Jezec Tournament in Czechia from Aug. 30-Sept. 9., where Mexico faced Slovakia on Wednesday, Sept. 3, and will face Turkey and Czechia this weekend.
Chicago Fire Homegrown midfielder Robert Turdean made his long-awaited debut for Chicago Fire II on Sunday, Aug. 31 against New England Revolution II at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The midfielder played the opening half from the start, impressing against a majority college-aged New England side. But it was fellow Academy midfielder Chase Nagle who stole the show, scoring his first goal in MLS NEXT Pro and earning the league’s Rising Star of Matchweek 23 distinction in the process.
What’s NEXT: The 2025/26 MLS NEXT season kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 6. The U15, U16 and U18 sides will all open their campaigns against longtime rivals Columbus Crew at the Endeavor Health Performance Center in the early part of the day. Later in the afternoon, the U13 and U14 sides will welcome Sockers FC before preparing for a trip to London to face the academy sides of Premier League clubs Chelsea FC and Brentford FC next week.
