Edmonton soccer star selected to join FC Bayern World Squad

Edmonton soccer player goes international An Edmonton teen has been selected to play with an international soccer talent development program.

EDMONTON — A local teenager has been selected to play with an international soccer program taking the best talent from around the world and helping further hone their skills.

Seventeen-year-old Muslim Umar from Edmonton was selected to join the renowned FC Bayern World Squad.

The squad selects 15 players from 15 different counties to make up their under 19 team that plays friendly matches around the globe and helps train young soccer players to make the transition to professional soccer.

A total of 654 players from 64 countries applied to take part in the program this year.

For Umar, it was a great feeling being selected as one of the final 15 selected.

“I felt it was really overwhelming because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that not many people could get,” he shared with CTV News Edmonton in an interview.

“Not many people can say they played at the Bayern Munich stadium.”

He hopes to be able to meet Bayern Munich’s star striker Robert Lewandowski and midfielder Leon Goretzka.

“This opportunity is really amazing,” Umar added. “I can’t wait to learn.”