Axel Bartsch (born May 16, 2002) is a United States Virgin Islands soccer who plays as a midfielder for the United States Virgin Islands national team.

Axel Bartsch
Bartsch warming up before a match with the United States Virgin Islands in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (2002-05-16) May 16, 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth United States Virgin Islands
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Center-back, Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Occidental Tigers 6 (0)
International career
2021– United States Virgin Islands 3 (0)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:42, March 19, 2021 (UTC)

Club career

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Bartsch played for youth club 18.3 Massive FC and won the U.S. Virgin Islands Soccer Association's Under-15 Boys League with the team in 2018.[1] He played for his school team, the Virgin Islands Montessori School Volts, and won back-to-back St. Thomas-St. John Interscholastic Athletic Association championships in 2017 and 2018.[2]

By age 16 he was already competing in the U.S. Virgin Islands Premier League with New Vibes SC.[3][4]

In late 2019 Bartsch was playing in the Occidental College intramural league while studying there.[5] Following the resumption of college soccer during the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a member of the school's NCAA Division III squad. He went on to make six appearances for the team in his first season.[6]

International career

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Bartsch represented the United States Virgin Islands at both the 2017 CONCACAF Boys' Under-15 Championship[7] and in 2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship qualifying.[8]

Bartsch was named as part of the 23-man USVI roster ahead of a training camp in Florida in March 2021.[9] He made his senior international debut for the territory on March 21 in a friendly against Anguilla which was part of the camp.[10] Six days later he made his competitive debut in a 3–0 defeat to Antigua and Barbuda in the team's first match of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. He started and played the first 84 minutes of the match.[11]

Personal life

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Bartsch graduated as salutatorian of the Virgin Islands Montessori School in 2019. He then enrolled at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California.[12]

Career statistics

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As of match played March 29, 2021[10]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
United States Virgin Islands 2021 3 0
Total 3 0

References

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  1. ^ Kiser, bill. "18.3 Massive finishes season at top of standings". Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  2. ^ "SCHOOL SPORTS ROUNDUP: Volts, Hurricanes get shutout wins". Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  3. ^ "USVI Soccer Association Schedules Premier League Week 5". Saint John Source. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  4. ^ "USVI Soccer Association Premier League Results: Weeks 6, 7, 8 and 9". Saint John Source. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Barack's Boys". Imleagues.com. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Occidental Tigers profile". Occidental Tigers Athletics. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  7. ^ "U.S. Virgin Islands Boys U-15 National Team Heads for CONCACAF Soccer Championship". Saint John Source. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  8. ^ "USVISA U17 Male National Team Competing at CONCACAF". Saint John Source. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  9. ^ "USVI Soccer Association Announces World Cup Qualifier 23-Man Squad". Saint Thomas Source. Retrieved 30 March 2021.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ a b "NFT profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  11. ^ "USVI vs. Antigua and Barbuda". FIFA. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  12. ^ Abbotts, lori. "VI Montessori's Peter Gruber International Academy graduates a community of 13". Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
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