Held named to U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team roster, while Palacios earns first call-up to Puerto Rico U-17 Men’s National Team
CHICAGO (Jan. 8, 2025) – Chicago Fire FC today announced that Chicago Fire Academy defenders Kruz Held and Denzel Palacios were named to the U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team and the Puerto Rico U-17 Men’s National Team, respectively. Held and Palacios will report to training camps ahead of the 2026 Concacaf U-17 World Cup Qualifiers held from Feb. 3-12 in Costa Rica.
It will be Held’s second call-up to a U.S. youth national team, having earned his first in a January 2023 training camp for the USYNT U-15 squad then managed by current Fire assistant coach Tom Heinemann. The right back, who has served as Fire U-18 captain for multiple matches this season, will report to Mesa, Ariz. from Jan. 10-17, for head coach Jeremy Hall’s first camp as USMNT U-18 head coach. The team will train concurrently with the U.S. U-19 and U-20 Men’s National Teams, which will include Chicago Fire Homegrown midfielder Dylan Borso.
Held’s Fire U-18 teammate, Palacios, will earn his first call-up to the Puerto Rico U-17 Men’s National Team for a similar preparatory camp. The center back will join head coach Pablo Almagro and the Huracán Azul from Jan 8-10, 2026 in Puerto Rico.
