MLS NEXT Cup – U15 Standouts
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This years MLS NEXT Cup was full of amazing football and all around a show of absolute class from the athletes that competed in the tournament. The under-15’s put on an electrifying showcase during the tournament and played with a…
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Continue ReadingThis years MLS NEXT Cup was full of amazing football and all around a show of absolute class from the athletes that competed in the tournament. The under-15’s put on an electrifying showcase during the tournament and played with a lot of maturity for athletes of their ages. There is an inherent amount of pressure that comes with performing at such a high level; with hundreds of college coaches, family members and opposing playings surrounding you. However, these young athletes played their hearts out and should be proud of what they did on the field.
Over the course of the tournament there was an excess of amazing U15 players, however there were a handful of players that had wonderful tournaments and stood out specifically. This is my list of the standouts from the under-15 age group in the MLS NEXT Cup.
Jean-Christophe Belzile
Jean-Christophe Belzile
Jean-Christophe Belzile was one of the standouts from all of the Montreal teams during the MLS NEXT Cup. Belzile and his under-15 Montreal team fought through the initial rounds of their age bracket and survived back to back penalty shootouts before finally making it to the final. Ultimately, the CF Montreal U15’s were not able to pull off the win in their final against the New York Red Bulls but the loss takes nothing away from Belzile.
The penalty shootouts that Montreal found itself in were extremely intense, with one of them even going eleven shots into the shootout. Belzile never found himself fatigued, flustered or shaken; he was able to get through days of intensive games and maintain a high level of performance.
What I admire so much about Belziles play was his communication with the players in front of him. He never abandoned his teammates or lost focus, his mental awareness and instructions helped his teammates overcome adversities and carry on when times got hard. The keeper has long arms and is very quick on his feet which helps him maintain control over his goal.
Belzile was understandably and deservingly named U15 Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
River’s 3 traits to consider:Communicative: Belzile is very vocal on the pitch but does not waste time saying pointless things to his teammates. While some goalkeepers simply speak to speak, Belzile highlights the important parts and gives valuable and necessary instruction.Long: I really think this kid is going to be a monster by the time he’s a grown man. He already has a good frame and proportionate arms in relation to his body. Give him a few years and he will truly have the entire net covered with a simple shuffle. Passionate: No one took the losses worse than Belzile and no one took the wins better. He cares about his teammate and the badge on his chest, and truly wants to succeed for greater reasons than himself. I think any team would be lucky to have a player who has the talent and the passion for the game.
Julian Hall is one of those athletes that is simply a joy to watch.
Hall was an integral part in helping his New York Red Bulls side win the finals for the under-15 age group. The explosive winger used perfect transition along the sideline and the occasional cut inside to control his side of the pitch. He often times used underlaps to draw into the fearful defenseman and smoothly returned the ball to his overlapping teammate.
While there has been some concern with Hall’s decision making in the past, it seems that he has come into his own during the MLS NEXT Cup. His entire tournament was spectacular and his ability to lead from the front was next to none when it comes to the U15’s. During the final against CF Montreal, Hall made a beautiful movement and landed crisp contact with the ball in order to equalize the game around the 80th minute. This goal saved his Red Bulls team and turned the momentum of the game, leading eventually to a game winner from New York.
With all the talent in the world it is well deserved that Julian Hall won the U15 Most Valuable Player and helped his team win their age group. This kid truly has a bright future ahead of him.
River’s 3 traits to consider:Quick: Hall is fast. His movement on and off the ball is simply next level and puts him in a category above the rest of his peers. In a league where the best play the best and teams are extremely competitive, Hall is able to set himself apart from the rest.Decisions: As I said before, I heard a lot of questions regarding Hall’s decision making coming into this tournament. It’s safe to say that Julian Hall must have heard it too because he came out of the gates swinging from the moment the competition began. He seemed to make the perfect pass nearly every time, he positioned himself to score with technical runs and simply moved like a player coming into their prime. He may have had some decision making issues before but the new Julian Hall is here to prove that he’s much more than just his bad days.Positioning: I really admired how well he used his body on the outside of the pitch. He kept his hips at the perfect angle in order to control the flow of the game on his side of the field, and also kept his head on a swivel in order to control or release the ball into the right position. His positioning kept him in the game and he helped keep his team in the game.
The New York Red Bulls under-15 squad is a squad without a lack of attacking talent. While we discussed Julian Hall already, it would be an extreme disservice to leave out star forward, Tanner Rosborough.
Rosborough isn’t just one of the best forwards in the Red Bulls academy system. This kid is one of the best forwards in the country and his goalscoring prowess came in clutch to score the game winning goal in the championship match.
Rosborough has a beautiful finish off of both of his feet and uses his physicality to position himself in the perfect spot to put the ball in the back of the net. The danger he provides to the NYRB attack is next level and he truly opens up the field by simply having the ball at his feet.
If I was the director of player development for New York, I would do whatever I could in order to hold onto Julian Hall and Tanner Rosborough because these two combined could very well be one of the most dangerous attacking duos in the country one day.
River’s 3 traits to consider:Movement: Rosborough’s ability to take the ball to the edge of the box and utilize crisp passing ability to get back open and finish is a spot on reason to appreciate the movement that he possesses. He opens up the field and creates the space necessary for his teammates to get open and create chances.Strength: Rosborough has absolute cannons in both of his feet. His legs are strong and the base that his strength gives him allows him to stand tall in the presence of pressure and hold off his opponents before he makes his next move towards goal. Flair: It is no secret that Rosborough has a taste for goal but his ability to put the ball exactly where he wants it is why he has been so successful during his league games. Placing the ball spot on, with pace on the shot, is one of the most important traits that a forward can have. It’s the trait that puts him levels above the rest and when combined with his other talents is what leads to his overwhelming success.
Robert “Bobby” Jacobs is a fantastic forward from the Irvine Strikers system in California. Jacobs is your traditional center forward and is considered to be one of the top prospects within his class.
Jacobs has terrific finishing ability and can put the ball into the net from nearly every angle. This terrific finishing, combined with his ability to mold into almost every position on the pitch, is what led to him obtaining the golden boot for the U15’s during the MLS NEXT Cup.
While Jacobs is still a little rough around the edges and could do well to find a little more patiences on the ball, I truly believe that one day he could be one of the best center forwards in the nation. He just needs to learn to relax a little bit more and enjoy whats in front of him.
River’s 3 traits to consider:Shot: Bobby Jacobs has a magical left foot. Jacobs truly has the intangibles to show that one day he may turn into one of the most prolific finishers of his class. Jacobs has power in both feet but could use a little patience on the ball.Flair: Jacobs isn’t afraid to go for the spectacular. During the tournament there were multiple times that Jacobs attempted a cheeky skill or otherworldly shot selection in order to give his team the edge. He truly kept the opposition on their toes and was a joy to watch.Courage: I know I’ve somewhat already leaned into Jacobs’ decision making and willingness to take on outlandish shots in order to score goals, however I want to emphasize that this isn’t a bad thing. I love the fact that Bobby Jacobs is so young yet willing to take chances and have fun. That’s what this game is about. No one would ever have called it, “The Beautiful Game” had people not taken chances to make beautiful plays.