FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (November 13, 2023) – New England Revolution Homegrown Players Noel Buck and Esmir Bajraktarevic have been called up for international duty with the England Under-19 Men’s National Team and United States Under-23 Men’s National Team, respectively.
Buck will join the “Young Lions” for a three-game slate of friendly matches against Romania (Nov. 15), Japan (Nov. 18), and Mexico (Nov. 21), at the Marbella Football Center in Spain. Bajraktarevic, 18, is the youngest of 20 players selected by the United States Under-23s for a pair of friendlies against Iraq (Nov. 18) and African champion Morocco (Nov. 21) in preparation for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Buck, a native of Arlington, Mass., collects his third international call-up from the England Under-19 Men’s National Team, the first coming in September. The Homegrown Player, who was ranked fourth on this year’s MLS 22 Under 22 list, is the only player selected by Head Coach Simon Rusk for the England U-19’s 24-player squad that does not represent an English club. One of a select few American-born and developed players to represent England at any level of international competition, the 18-year-old made his competitive debut with one appearance during UEFA Under-19 European Championship qualifying action in October.
In his second MLS season, Buck tallied three goals over 25 league appearances, including 20 starts, with two additional starts in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. For his career, Buck owns 32 MLS appearances with four goals and two assists.
Bajraktarevic, also 18, is the youngest player on the American roster as he earns his second consecutive call-up to the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team in its preparations for Paris 2024. The Wisconsin native lats featured for the U.S. Olympic team in a pair of international friendlies in September, scoring one goal. The Revolution Academy and Revolution II product has totaled 16 MLS appearances, with six starts, since making his MLS debut in 2022. He also tallied his first senior team goal in Leagues Cup 2023 action. CLICK HERE to view the full U.S. Under-23 roster selected by head coach Marko Mitrovic.
The training camp is the second for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team as it returns to the Games for the first time since 2008. The Men’s Olympic Soccer Tournament is restricted to players under the age of 23, with an allowance for three overage players. Eight players on this camp’s roster have been capped by the full U.S. Men’s National Team. The Men’s Olympic Soccer Team serves as an important part of the Federation’s mission to develop winning teams as it will provide some of the nation’s top young talent the opportunity to face elite opposition on the world stage next summer.
