It’s safe to say anyone projecting a match-up between Radamel Falcao and Cameron Carter-Vickers this season would’ve thought it likely for the international stage or an unlikely Premier League call-up for Carter-Vickers.
Instead, the 17-year-old US youth center back (pictured, left) went up against the 29-year-old Colombian star in Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United in U-21 action on Tuesday.
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It’s not unusual for veterans to get runs with the youth sides in the Premier League, but to say Falcao would hit the Old Trafford pitch with the U-21s would’ve been a stretch.
Falcao played 72 minutes, while first teamers Victor Valdes, James Wilson and Rafael da Silva also hit the pitch for United. Carter-Vickers had a scoring chances for Spurs, who also suited up ex-Chicago Fire loanee Grant Ward.
A dual national English-American and Spurs Academy player, Carter-Vickers signed a pro contract in December after interest from Arsenal. He has represented the U.S. at youth levels and is considered in the mix for the 2016 U.S. Olympic team (should the Yanks qualify).