FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  |  FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2020

Holstein Kiel Signs U.S. Youth International 
Nico Carrera
American U-17 World Cup defender joins 2. Bundesliga club
Holstein Kiel has officially announced the signing of United States youth international defender Nico Carrera.
 
The 18-year-old center back accepted the contract offer from the 2. Bundesliga club, also known as KSV Holstein, after spending the past three seasons with the FC Dallas youth academy in Major League Soccer.
 
"Nico is a very interesting player who we believe fits very well with our view of football with his courageous playing style and mentality," said Finn Jaensch, sporting director of Holstein's youth academy. "Nico has already proven that he can play on a high level internationally and has further potential for development."
 
Just eight months ago, Carrera represented the U.S. in the 2019 U-17 World Cup for coach Raphaël Wicky and has earned four caps at this level for the Stars and Stripes. Previously, he appeared for México's U-17 team before earning American citizenship last summer and officially making the switch on the pitch as well.
 
Now Carrera will begin his European journey on Holstein's Under-19 team in the U-19 Bundesliga. 
 
"We would like to train and promote Nico at KSV Holstein in the best possible way, knowing that he can strengthen our Under-19 team in the short term," said Jaensch.
 
New U-19 coach Elard Ostermann was in accord. "With Nico, we are gaining an athletic, technically very well-trained central defender," he said. "We are therefore very happy that he has decided to join us in Kiel."
 
The projection is for Carrera to earn his way up the ladder to Holstein's U-23 team in the fourth-division Regionalliga Nord, followed by the Storks' first team in 2. Bundesliga. The 6-foot-3 right-footed defender, who has already arrived in northern Germany to commence training, is up for the challenge.
 
"First of all, I'm very grateful to Holstein Kiel for trusting me enough for this opportunity," said Carrera. "It's been my dream since I was little to play in Europe, so I'm excited to move to Germany and be a part of this club."
 
Admittedly, Carrera did not know much about Holstein at first but was quickly persuaded after doing his research. 
 
"The more I learned about the club, the more I saw that they do things right in terms of developing players," he said. "In five years, they went from the fourth division to [2. Bundesliga], and they've stayed up for four years now. Their facilities are amazing, and they have a reputation for their professional environment and good ethics. That's why Holstein's the right decision for me."
Born in Pachuca, México, the center back began his youth career at the Under-5 level with C.F. Pachuca, with stops at GLSA in Chicagoland (U-6 through U-9) and Minnesota Thunder Academy (U-9 through U-12) before joining FC Dallas (U-12 through U-14).
 
After earning a spot as a finalist in the Alianza de Fútbol program in 2016, Carrera rejoined Pachuca from the U-14 through U-15 levels, winning a league championship. Following his success in México, he returned to FC Dallas, where he played in their U.S. Development Academy setup from U-15 onward. Most recently at club level, Carrera made his pro debut last season with FC Dallas affiliate and eventual USL League One champion North Texas SC.
 
"I want to thank my family first of all, especially my dad," said Carrera. "I also want to thank the three coaches at FC Dallas who have impacted my life personally: Mikey Varas, Peter Luccin, and Chuy Vera. Finally, I have a lot of love for Pachuca, an organization that has always done right by me as a whole."
 
Carrera is the first American to join Holstein Kiel at the academy level and just the second to sign with the club in general after goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm, who made 135 first-team league appearances from 2014 through 2019. Kronholm was a key part of the team that earned promotion from the third division to 2. Bundesliga in 2016-17, amassing 17 clean sheets in 39 starts. One season later, despite having the smallest stadium in the league at the time, the Storks overdelivered by advancing to the promotion playoffs and falling just short of ascending to the Bundesliga. Kronholm currently plays in MLS for the Chicago Fire.
 
"The first team is just one level away from competing up in the first division with the Bayerns and the Dortmunds, and it's exciting to be part of a club that's building their own legacy to get there," said Carrera. "Germany is a great place to develop and I hope that more Americans join me in the future."
 
In 2019, Holstein entered the American market by establishing an official partnership with the San Francisco Glens, whose first team competes in USL League Two under executive director Mike McNeill and head coach Jimmy Conrad. Last summer, then-Glens midfielder Amir Bashti went on trial with Holstein's U-23 before signing with Atlanta United 2 in the USL Championship.
 
On the academy level, the Glens are a Founding Member of both the fledgling MLS Elite Youth Development Platform and the new USL Academy. Last fall, a quartet of Glens U-17 players-Kevin Estrada, Diego Grande, Xander Sagatelyan, and Declan O'Flynn-were selected to train in Kiel and even played in a test match with Holstein's U-17 team, gaining valuable experience on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
 
"Of course, it is in our interest to give young players a platform to maximize their development, and in the best case, to integrate them into our first team," said Holstein general manager Wolfgang Schwenke. "With the cooperation of the San Francisco Glens and this signing of Nico from FC Dallas, we have taken the first steps. Ultimately, we hope to benefit from the positive growth in American football."
 
If Carrera can capitalize on his chances, a European professional pathway awaits.
 
"Holstein is a club that will give you the opportunity to take the next step up if you do well and exceed expectations," he said. "I will give my best to the club on and off the field. As they say in America, I will make sure they'll get their money's worth. Kiel Ahoi!"
 
NOTE: Nico will be a guest on The Jimmy Conrad Power Hour on Twitch ( twitch.tv/jimmyconrad ) next week. Date/time TBD.
 

CONNECT WITH HOLSTEIN:

Website: holstein-kiel.de
Facebook: @Holstein.Kiel
Twitter: @Holstein_Kiel
Instagram: @holsteinkiel


MEDIA CONTACTS:
 
Holstein Kiel (Germany - German language): 
Bastian Karkossa  |   [email protected]
 
San Francisco Glens (USA - English/Spanish language): 
Ryan Maquiñana  |   [email protected]