ROKAS PUKSTAS #0 PLAYER PROFILE Year of Birth: 2004 Position: Hometown: Stillwater , OK Nationality: USA - United States EDUCATION Graduation Year: 2022 Hearing that U.S. U15 BNT midfielder Rokas Pukstas is training with Manchester United this week. He figures to be a key player for the US during upcoming Concacaf Championship— J.R. Eskilson (@JREskilson) July 25, 2019 He's about a year out from being able to move to the UK. Father is a former Lithuanian marathoner. Mother was a triple jumper. Lithuania is a member of the EU, though that may not be useful after scheduled Brexit in October 2019. Father: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindaugas_Pukštas I've also seen his first name spelled "Rokus".
He's also on the US U15 squad for Concacaf tournament. MIDFIELDERS (6): Kenan Hot (New York Red Bulls; Lincroft, N.J.), Allan Rodriguez (Chicago Fire; Elkhart, Ind.), Rokas Pukstas (Sporting Kansas City; Stillwater, Okla.), Evan Rotundo (San Diego Surf; La Mesa, Calif.), Victor Valdez (LA Galaxy; Santa Ana, Calif.), Aethan Yohannes (AZ Alkmaar/NED; Springfield, Va.) https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...nt-usa-at-2019-concacaf-boys-u15-championship
Lithuania has some dumb laws relating to dual citizenship, so there is no telling what the status is for the parents or children. It’s possible for the parents to have dual citizenship based upon significant contributions to Lithuania (former Olympian) or because a direct ancestor was exiled during Soviet times. Then there are a few other loopholes that some manage to get through. Of course, in this case, it is likely the boy was born before his parents could/would have gained American citizenship, which means their kids are eligible for dual citizenship if they acquire citizenship by birth in another country, or through a second parent. Kids used to have to choose at 18 but that has been changed and now they do not have to choose. The EU passport would still be valuable after Brexit. It allows youth to sign with an EU/EEA club academy at a young age and play w/o restriction in leagues that limit non-EU/EEA players. Ask Gio Reyna if that is important. Besides, Brexit-with-a-deal is expected to allow EU/EEA migration until 2021. No idea what will end up happening with no deal but they’re not destroying the premier league by kicking out Europeans.
Croatia: As pointed out by @USAprospects in his must-read MLS Next U17 preview, '04 Rokas Pukstas is moving from Barça Residency in Arizona to Hajduk Split in Croatia. The fourth US U17 central midfielder in Europe (Zach Booth at Leicester, Evan Rotundo at Schalke, Aethan Yohannes at AZ).— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) September 13, 2020
Rokas Pukstas continues to impress at his new club, HNK Hajduk Split. He played the full 90 in a 2-2 draw against Dinamo Zagreb U17. pic.twitter.com/UBA7iqTRsk— J.R. Eskilson (@JREskilson) October 25, 2020
No confirmation of the source, but he appears to have signed a pro contract: 16 year old Rokas Pukstas (2004) has signed his first professional contact with Hajduk Split in the Croatian top flight.He was previously with Sporting KC & Barca Residency Academy and is one of the top 🇺🇸 U17 central midfield prospects to watch moving forward. pic.twitter.com/Liuggkc5AR— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) November 5, 2020
Split is an absolutely lovely town; I played against some locals on a court in the old city many years ago. And to sign a contract at 16 is impressive.
.@JREskilson caught up with #usynt midfielder Rokas Pukstas, who signed his first pro contract in Europe this week.https://t.co/x8RX2gvbLw— Travis Clark (@travismclark) November 10, 2020
Appears to be playing with the u19s now. https://www.sofascore.com/hu/lokomotiva-zagreb-u19-hnk-hajduk-u19/NIFbsuVfc
@bungadiri @TheFalseNine -- Let's update the thread title, please: Rokas Pukstas at Hajduk Split (Croatia)
Came on for the u19s today in a 2-0 vs Orijent. Hajduk are now top of the league by 5 points. In the interview above he mentioned he’d been fully promoted to the u19s. Gotten a bit bigger too... surprise surprise live stream:
Looks like he subbed in at the half in the first u19 game. https://hajduk.hr/vijest/visoka-pobjeda-juniora-na-startu-prvenstva/14029
Scored for Hajduk U19 https://www.facebook.com/hajduckevijesti/photos/a.505101852960065/2225991977537702/
'04 USYNT mid Rokas Pukstas is one of four youth players to join the first-team camp of Hajduk Split in Croatia. The Sporting KC and Barca Residency product has been a regular for their U19s. https://t.co/OIV9jLzpoi— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) September 5, 2021
Starts in UEFA Youth League: Hajdukovi juniori danas s početkom u 14 sati u Skopju igraju utakmicu 1. kola UEFA Lige prvaka mladih protiv Škendije, juniorskog prvaka Sjeverne Makedonije. Trener Marijan Budimir odlučio se za sljedeći sastav koji će započeti utakmicu. Ajmo Bijeli! 💪🔴🔵 #UYL #samohajduk pic.twitter.com/bqpT6cULCH— HNK Hajduk Split (@hajduk) September 30, 2021
Scored: 3/10/2021 - 8:58 pm Academy Juniors: Inter (W) - Hajduk Juniors: Inter (W) - Hajduk 0: 2 (0: 1) Match of the 8th round of the First HNL Field: Ivan Laljak - Ivić Referee: Sabina Bolić (Zagreb) Scorers: 0: 1 Pukštas (22), 0: 2 Vladušić 66) Hajduk: Silić, Škaričić, Vladušić, Bradarić, Hrgović (from 82. Letaj), Lazar (from 74. Prpić), Pukštas, Capan, Brkljača, Domančić (from 66. Antunović), Čuić (from 82. Vrcić). https://hajduk.hr/vijest/pobjeda-juniora-u-zapresicu/14186
Came off the bench: Hajduk od 17 sati igra prijateljsku utakmicu sa Zadrom na Stanovima. #ZadHaj pic.twitter.com/fCbC5MzroD— HNK Hajduk Split (@hajduk) October 9, 2021 75 Trostruka promjena u sastavu Hajduka. Umjesto Subašića u igru je ušao Perić, Pukstas umjesto Dolčeka te Lazar umjesto Škaričića. #ZadHaj— HNK Hajduk Split (@hajduk) October 9, 2021