Canada Soccer's Men's EXCEL Program continues to identify players as a result of their scouting and collaborative work with provincial and territorial partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. Six more players have been invited to the Men's U-20 camp in Toronto for two days of training.

The 2017 invitees are Duwayne Ewart (Scarborough, ON) and program debutants Steven Lovell (Hamilton, ON), Nicholas Machado (Brampton, ON), Alex Markovic (Hamilton, ON), Ignazio Muccelli (Vaughan, ON), and Rachaun Palmer (Brampton). The six players expanded the group to 30 players for at least Friday and Saturday, 13-14 January. From this group, 20 players will travel to Panama for a pair of international matches on 19 and 21 January.

"We are happy to have them in with the group to provide additional competition ahead of our selection for Panama," said Rob Gale, Canada Soccer's Men's National U-20 Team Coach. "It's important that we continue to widen our player pool as we build towards the CONCACAF Men's Under-20 Championship."

Since 2012, Canada Soccer's Men's EXCEL Program has supported 80 players from the 1997 age group through 1,919 camp days in the national youth program. The program emphasizes player development and provides accumulating experience through international competition. At the heart of the Men's EXCEL Program is the development of footballers capable of playing international football for Canada Soccer's Men’s National Team.

"It is vital to expand our pool as some players will be ready now and some will be ready in the future," said Gale. "We continue to assess where they are in their development and it is important that we expose them to international football and our Canadian game model."

Canada trains in Toronto and Panama from 12-22 January, then in Mexico from 27 January to 4 February. The CONCACAF Men's Under-20 Championship runs 17 February to 6 March in Costa Rica. Canada will select 20 players, born 1997 or later, for the CONCACAF Men's Under-20 Championship.

Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program channels our nation’s exceptional players into the best soccer environments. The Canada Soccer Pathway works in collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. For Canada’s elite players, the program emphasizes player development on the pathway to representing Canada’s Men’s National Team in international soccer.