Nine-year-old Alessio Tassone of Sault Ste. Marie may soon have the opportunity to play soccer for a Canadian team in the Soccer Youth All-American Golden Cup in December.
The Soo United U10 forward will play in the Soccer Youth All-Canadian Series being held yesterday, today and tomorrow in Toronto.
Alessio’s soccer skills will be evaluated during the All-Canadian Series.
His performance will determine if he gets to play for a Canadian team in the Soccer Youth All-American Golden Cup.
“I like soccer. It’s fun. It’s competitive,” Alessio told SooToday.
He began playing soccer at the age of four.
Alessio admires soccer player Lionel Messi, Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and Argentina’s national team.
He was successfully nominated to play in this weekend’s Soccer Youth All-Canadian Series by his father Bruno Tassone, who is Alessio’s Soo United U10 coach.
“He’ll do a player profile. They’ll interview him. They basically treat him like a mini-professional soccer player,” Bruno said.
“He’s going to play in four games in the All-Canadian Series. He has an opportunity to showcase. There’s a lot of testing and if he gets selected in his age bracket, he gets to represent the Canadian team versus the American team in the Golden Cup.”
The Soccer Youth All-American Golden Cup includes many teams in several age groups from across Canada and the U.S. and will be held in December in Naples, Florida (East), Round Rock, Texas (Central), and Mesa, Arizona (West).
Bruno said this weekend’s Soccer Youth All-Canadian Series will be a good measuring stick of Alessio’s abilities.
“I'm looking forward to him showcasing himself. It’ll be a testament to see where he is compared to other kids in southern Ontario because we're kind of secluded up north.
"There is more competition and this series will see where he fits with the rest of the players in that area. We will see if he can compete or if he needs to work harder.”
Alessio said he would like to play soccer professionally upon reaching adulthood.
Bruno said he has what it takes to go pro.
“If he puts his mind to it and he stays dedicated, and with the help of God, he could do whatever he wants. Alessio is a natural goal scorer. He's quick with his feet. He's a fast kid. He's able to put it all together and put the ball in the net,” Bruno said.