
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Thanks to MTV, kids across America have long held lofty and, most of the time, impossible standards for their 16th birthday. For Ramiz Hamouda, however, the beginning of his landmark 16th year on earth was incredibly super and definitely sweet.
Not only was the Birmingham Legion FC defender celebrating in beautiful Buenos Aires, Argentina, but he was doing it as part of the United States Under-16 Men’s Youth National Team.
“It was very cool and everyone made it fun for me,” recalled Hamouda of his birthday spent south of the equator. “It was a lot of fun and my centerback partner Christopher Cupps has the same birthday so we really enjoyed it.”
The celebrations did have to be curtailed a little bit, because just a day later on May 27, the newly-minted 16-year-old was staring down the best young attackers South America has to offer in the opener of a two-match camp for the U.S. U-16’s. Going up against a pair of longtime world powers in the Uruguay and Argentina U-16’s, plus competing against USA’s best youth players in training every day, made for the perfect measuring stick for Hamouda.
“I think I did well for myself,” Hamouda said of his fifth camp with the U.S. Youth National Team, but first at the U-16 level. “I feel like I showed off my abilities and what I’ve learned after training here (in Birmingham) with men, so it was all about being a leader over there and trying to help my teammates. It was a lot of fun.”
It was in the 1-1 draw with Uruguay that Hamouda – wearing number 16 – started and played the full 90 minutes, boasting the qualities that made him such a tantalizing prospect for Legion FC, who signed the defender out of the Sporting Kansas City Academy to his first full professional contract.
But the skills were only a part of the equation for Hamouda at this particular camp. Prior to departing for Argentina, he had a conversation with Birmingham coach Tom Soehn and the message was clear:
Lead.
“I told him how he’s here around older guys all day and now you got to go there and show them what it means to be in that type of environment,” Soehn said. “Be elite, be vocal and be the guy that now leads the young kids. He’s in a good environment to continue to grow and we hope he keeps making us proud every time he’s called into the national team.”
Since joining Legion FC back in February, the time on the pitch has come sparingly for Hamouda.
His made his debut back on April 17 via a nine-minute cameo against the Chattanooga Red Wolves in the Third Round of 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Since then, he has logged just 29 minutes, but even so, the crash course in what it truly means to be a professional has paid off in spades.
“Being here has helped tremendously,” said Hamouda, who was the lone USL Championship player that was called into this past U.S. U-16 camp. “Watching other guys with experience who have been in the game for a long time, it has really taught me some new things and I’m trying to do the same things they do on and off the field.”
Fellow Legion FC defender Alex Crognale has had an up-close look at Hamouda’s rapid rise up the ranks and believes his young teammate has barely scratched the surface in terms of the type of player that he can become.
“When I was his age, I was nowhere near the level that he is at,” said Crognale who, at 29, is 13 years Hamouda’s senior. “To see him get into a pro environment and have opportunities to go and play with the national team, he’s only going to continue to grow. It’s pretty easy to see the talent that he has and it’s only going to get better with time.
“He’s in good hands. He’s a good kid who just wants to learn and play.”

But while the respect is there amongst the squad, hardly a day goes by at Legion FC training that Hamouda isn’t reminded that he’s the rookie of the bunch as the youngest guy on the squad.
“It’s every day,” laughed Hamouda. “They’re nice guys but here and there they’ll mess with me, but I’ve really enjoyed it. They have all been very helpful and they’ve made this fun for me.”
And as long as it’s fun for him, expect to see Hamouda’s name show up more for both club and country in the future.
For now, his sights are set on working his way into getting more minutes in Birmingham, but he also is fully-aware that, with this recent U.S. U-16 call-up, he is on the right track to potentially feature for the youth national team at next year’s U-17 World Cup.
So while his 16th birthday was a special one, year 17 for Hamouda could truly be one to remember.
“Next camp is a little far away so it’s about working here and getting better every day,” he explained. “That’s going to be crucial for me to get into that World Cup squad.”