KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Sporting Kansas City has acquired 19-year-old Brazilian defender Igor Juliao on loan from Fluminense to occupy one of its international roster spots.
Juliao joined Fluminense's academy at 8 years old and capped his youth career by leading the club's under-20 team to back-to-back championships. He traveled to the U.S. for the Dallas Cup last year, his club losing to eventual champion Fulham FC at the Cotton Bowl.
Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said Friday that he first saw Juliao at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic. After scouting him for six days and watching four games, Vermes knew the talented young defender would fit with the MLS Cup champions.
Juliao calls the move to Sporting KC "a new challenge for me. I hope to learn a lot from this club and do everything I can to help them win another championship."