The MLS Next season is heading into the second month of the campaign this weekend. A few teams in the U17 and U19 age group have put together an impressive string of results through the opening stage of the club…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inThe MLS Next season is heading into the second month of the campaign this weekend. A few teams in the U17 and U19 age group have put together an impressive string of results through the opening stage of the club season.
With the positive results, the scouts tend to flock to the games. Below are a handful of players who have stood out from the opening games of the season based on scout recommendations or game film review.
John is a former standout at the Boys ECNL level – winning Conference Player of the Year following the 2020/2021 season with Charlotte SA. He is fitting in well with his transition to Charlotte FC. The midfielder scored twice against Nashville SC. His first goal came on a free kick that he buried into the corner of the net. He added another on a nice combination play before a finish in the box. John has the skill to be an impact player at a high-level. He has incredible instincts and reads the game so well. He is an elite prospect in terms of jumping into passing lanes and cutting out passes between the lines. He has been one of the best defensive midfielders through the early part of the season.
Kahoalii’s play at the club level this season has attracted the interest of quite a few scouts. He is a right-footed center midfielder who is going up against some of the top talents in the Northeast and looking like the best player on the field most of the time. He has exceptional ball control with an excellent first touch. He is a hard-working player with a high work-rate. He is an ideal fit for a high pressing team that uses the attacking midfielder as a box-to-box player. He will be a player climbing the 2024 rankings in the next update.
Hernandez was previously highlighted after his standout play for Total Futbol Academy at the MLS Next Flex event in May. The center forward moved over to LAFC during the offseason, and he is playing some of the best soccer of his life. He looks like one of the best center forwards in the class of 2024. Considering he plays for an MLS academy, there is likely some reluctance to recruit him since he has the tools to be on the professional pathway. He should still be on the radar for scouts at every level. The forward has a goal in nearly every game this season for LAFC U17. He is so effective around the box. He makes intelligent runs off the ball and has constantly punished defenders anytime he has a bit of space. He looks like a player ready to step up to the next level in his development already. Luca Bombino Luca Bombino D CA has also been a standout for the new-look LAFC U17 team this season
The Albion SC San Diego squad has been impressive through the first two games of the season with a shutout victory in both games. Camejo is one of the captains of the team. He is a center back with good size and skill. He is over six feet tall and uses his heigh well in aerial challenges. He is physical in the point of contact in challenges. He showed his distribution skills with a few excellent passes to break the high press line. Jacob Hobbs, Griffin Helfand Griffin Helfand D St. Augustine | 2024 CA , Cody Longwell Cody Longwell M CA , and Erik Rosales have also been standouts for Albion. Rosales is a skillful midfielder who is providing multiple key passes per game for his side.
Lund is a tall center back who is the leader of his side. He does not come off the field because he is so valuable. He is a competitive defender who will take on the top forward from the opposition. He makes a lot of winning plays in a game as he always seem to be in the right spots to shut down the opposition. He is a target on set pieces and scored against FC Dallas. Forward Brayden Herivel has been outstanding through the first month of the season. His pressure has been the first line of defense for Real Colorado and he has made an influence on the result in both games.