Tag: Keyrol Figueroa

U.S. youth star Figueroa, 17, signs first pro contract with Liverpool

The teenager is one of the most promising strikers in Liverpool’s academy

U.S. youth international Keyrol Figueroa has signed his first professional contract with Liverpool, the Premier League club has announced.

Figueroa joined Liverpool at the U-14 level, and has marked himself as one of the club’s most promising forward prospects with his displays in its academy.

The 17-year-old is the son of former Premier League defender Maynor Figueroa, who is the all-time leader in caps for Honduras with 181.

But the ex-Wigan defender’s son opted to represent the United States at the international level, a choice he explained last year during the Concacaf U-17 Championship.

“I was questioning which team I was going to represent,” he said. “But what made me pick the U.S. is the fact that all my family are spread across the U.S. I think every little person represents me. So I thought the U.S. was a perfect choice.”

Figueroa was born in Honduras but moved to England at a young age when his father transferred to Wigan.

Figueroa has missed a good portion of the current season due to injury and international duty, but recently returned with a goal for Liverpool’s U-18 side.

Overall, the striker has three goals and two assists in nine appearances for the U-18 side this season, as he looks to move up to the U-21 side for next season.

Figueroa appeared in all four games for the U.S. at the U-17 World Cup in November, scoring once as his side was knocked out by Germany in the round of 16.

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U.S. U-17 star Keyrol Figueroa explains why he picked the United States

His father is an all-time Honduras great, but the teenager has opted for the U.S.

Keyrol Figueroa has spoken out about his decision to represent the United States amid a standout CONCACAF U-17 Championship performance.

Figueroa is the co-leading scorer at the tournament with six goals, scoring a brace earlier this week as the U.S. defeated Guatemala 5-3 to clinch a spot at the U-17 World Cup later this year.

There has been plenty of attention of late around Figueroa, who is the son of former Honduras great Maynor Figueroa.

Keyrol Figueroa was born in Honduras but moved to England at a young age when his father transferred to Wigan — then in the Premier League. Keyrol would eventually return to England when he signed with Liverpool, where he currently plays for the club’s U-18 side.

Though his father has the most caps in Honduras history with 181 and he’s also eligible to represent England, Keyrol has opted to represent the United States at international level.

In a video posted on U.S. Soccer’s Twitter, he explained that having family all across the United States influenced his decision.

“I was questioning which team I was going to represent,” he said. “But what made me pick the U.S. is the fact that all my family are spread across the U.S. I think every little person represents me. So I thought the U.S. was a perfect choice. I want to represent them and make them proud. I want to make everyone close to me proud because I think it’s not just my dream, it grew into everybody’s dream.”

Maynor Figueroa only recently retired after he played in MLS from 2015 to 2021 with Colorado, FC Dallas and Houston. He also played for Honduras in the most recent World Cup qualifying cycle, starting both games against the USMNT.

Keyrol Figueroa said that his father has taught him plenty about being a striker, despite spending his career as a defender.

“He was a defender, and he knew what he hated about strikers that he played against,” the 16-year-old said. “So he’d always teach me. He taught me how to beat players one-v-one, or even where to put [the ball] in the back of the net. Because sometimes when I was younger, I used to love to kick the ball hard, but he actually taught me how to compose myself and slow myself down and where to put it.”

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