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When Jalen Neal received news that he would be called up for his first training camp with the men’s national soccer team, he was told to keep quiet until the roster was announced.
It didn’t matter, he said.
“I spoke to close family members and such,” he said. “But otherwise, no. I’m pretty good with personal information.”
But for his mother Sarah, the secret was a very big deal.
“It really…” she began. “It was hard.”
A call-up to the national team was as much a treat for her mother as it was for her son, the 19-year-old Galaxy defender. A reward for soccer single mom Sarah Neal for the countless hours she has spent driving her son to and from practices and tournaments. A reward for her weekends and vacations, late nights and early mornings she spent playing football.
“Jaylen and I spent a lot of time together in the car eating dinner and doing homework. It seems so draining,” she said. “But it was absolutely worth it.”
Neil will get his first chance at a cap with the national team on Wednesday when the USA face Serbia at BMO Stadium in the first game of the 2026 World Cup cycle. The US wraps up his week-long camp for January on Saturday against Columbia at Dignity Health Sports Park.
But Neil said the game was just a bonus.
“The playing time that I get doesn’t really get to me,” he said. Just being around all these people, they could benefit my career tremendously.
“It’s just learning tips of professionalism and little things to take care of your body and mind. And it makes me realize how much responsibility I have in the future.
Calling up the first team has other benefits as well. Neil happily shared, standing up during a Zoom call to model the blue Nikes of his hoodie and black sweatpants that were part of his package of goodies he received at camp. It opened last weekend.
“The perks that come with the men’s team are a little different,” he said.
Galaxy’s Jalen Neal was stopped by New England Revolution’s Brad Knighton on February 5, 2022.
(Sean Clark/Getty Images)
Neil first played in the Long Beach area league when he was three years old. At age five, he was playing with children three years older than him. His football IQ already figured out how to return the ball to the keeper and build an attack, which kept him off the charts. His teammates’ parents claimed he was on the wrong track, but in reality, Neil’s football foundations were sounder than they were before he entered elementary school.
Neal joined the Galaxy’s Academy at the age of 15 and played 48 games for the team’s USL Championship affiliate before making his first team debut in a US Open Cup match in May. He also helped the United States qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, conceding just two goals in his seven games last summer to win his CONCACAF U-20 Championship. supported. For that performance, he was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Coach Greg Bunney also confirmed that Neil is ready to take on a bigger role with the Galaxy this season.
“This is going to be the year that Jalen Neal needs to step up and bring us depth and growth.” Jalen is ready to step into the first-team environment.
Neil has been immersed in the exercise environment his entire life. His older brother Mark, 24, is a semi-professional soccer player, and his younger brother and sister play basketball and soccer.
“My two little kids literally grew up on a soccer field. [since] I just got home from the hospital,” said Sarah.
When Niels travels to BMO Stadium on Wednesday, they will gather as a family at another football field. Whether Jalen plays or not, the excitement is undeniable.
“It’s enough to see him in the warm-up,” said Sarah. “I will be there and cry.”
There is one problem though.
“We got tickets, but we couldn’t park,” she said. “Game, I’m not nervous [it]I’m more worried about the parking lot. ”
soccer mom. they think of everything.
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