MLS Next Flex U19 Dependable Outside Backs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The city of Frisco, Texas, recently staged six action-packed days of soccer, with Toyota Soccer Center hosting the 2026 MLS Next Flex tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The event featured 304 teams from all over the country and qualified 76 of them for the MLS Next Cup Playoffs, which will be held from May 23-31 in Salt Lake City, Utah.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Soccer was in North Texas for two days, and I got to watch many of the most loaded and talented teams in the country in action. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2026/04/mls-next-flex-friday-photos-u19-u16/">MLS Next Flex: Friday U19/U16 Photos</a></strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>During our time there, many prospects delivered standout performances and showed tremendous potential for the future of their careers. Now, with the event completed, we're going over several of them. We continue our coverage with the U19 Division, and today, the outside backs will be the ones talked about:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Angel Villatoro","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"LA Galaxy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69fca7d74b887"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Villatoro was with the LA Galaxy team that settled for second in Group M with a win, a loss and a tie. A left back, he's extremely reliable defensively and efficiently controls his zone with intelligent positioning and firm actions to win the ball. Villatoro plays a big role in facilitating the team's buildup, playing good passes out of the back and immediately moving to be an option for his teammates. He also has good quality going forward and often gets to the end line after engaging in quick combination plays out wide.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DXpy8S7j_RJ/","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DXpy8S7j_RJ/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ian Paola","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"New York Red Bulls","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69fca7d74b933"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Paola played for the New York Red Bulls side that emerged out of Group F with an undefeated campaign of three wins. He's a very technical and well-rounded right back who has a high success rate in all his actions on the field. Paola is very solid defensively and uses his ability to read plays to always be one step ahead of everyone else and make stops. He's very technical and intelligent on the ball and stands out offensively for his ability to get out of pressure with quick combination plays on the wing. Paola doesn't push forward the entire time but picks the right moments to do it and makes an impact when he steps into the attacking half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":356171,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0091_a41661.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-356171" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["284758"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69fca7d74b986"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Perez played for the [program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] team that was second in Group L with two wins and a tie. He plays mostly as a right back, but can also feature on central defense and in midfield. His high soccer IQ and his positional awareness are probably his main assets, as they allow him to do well in different roles by always being in the right spots to make plays. Perez is also technically sound, has good passing vision and is very clean on the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["10672"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69fca7d74b9c0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Armistead and his Atlanta United team qualified by taking first place in Pool H with a campaign that had a win and two ties. He played as a left back and showed a strong two-way game that was of great value for his team. Armistead was very strong defensively, cutting passing lanes and shutting down plays on his side of the field. He was very quick with how he overlaps on the left and constantly gets to the end line to deliver accurate crosses with either foot. The outside back can also come inside and show good vision to move the ball and operate as a playmaker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":356180,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0152_147f96.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-356180" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jordan Rodriguez","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69fca7d74ba2f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rodriguez was with the [program_tooltip program_id='283624' first='Capital' last='City SC'] side that was fourth in Group F with two losses and a tie. A left back, he has good size and solid technical skills. Even though the offense is probably the main strength of his game, Rodriguez does well defensively, winning physical duels and controlling his zone. The outside back is good at making runs out wide, but can also be a threat when he comes inside, getting into good spots just outside the penalty box and showing solid finishing skills from mid-range.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->