Real Monarchs Signs 15 Year Old RSL Academy Prodigy
Mar 17, 2021, 10:16 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Real Monarchs have signed 15-year-old RSL Academy midfielder Julio Benitez, making him the youngest signing in club history.
“Julio has been fantastic in every aspect during his time with the academy. His footballing talents, natural leadership, and appetite for hard work at such a young age have brought the admiration of all staff who work with him,” Real Salt Lake Assistant General Manager Tony Beltran said. “We look forward to seeing his continued growth as he transitions into the professional game.”
The Homegrown Factory™️ is at it again. Welcome Julio!
📰: https://t.co/83zvMsy7zr pic.twitter.com/ueIl4rOZur
— Real Monarchs (@RealMonarchs) March 17, 2021
From Mesa, Arizona, the midfielder played in matches for the U14s, U15s, and U16/17s, scoring four goals in 17 appearances. He has also represented the United States U-15 National Team and was a member of the squad that travelled to Poland for the U-15 UEFA Development Tournament where he faced Poland, Russia, and Iceland.
The Monarchs will begin pre-season training later this month and are expected to begin their USL campaign the weekend of May 1, however, no official schedule has been released by the league.