Four Players Who Will Join Austin FC in 2026-2027

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The MLS Next League is currently in the offseason after the 2025-2026 champions were determined in Salt Lake City, Utah, late last month.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's still a busy period of the year, with clubs dropping and adding players to their rosters in their attempt to secure the services of the most talented prospects in the country and be even more competitive in the upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the top of the boys' youth soccer pyramid, MLS Academies have the most leverage when it comes to attracting young players to their programs, and the three located in Texas have been active so far, adding some talented names to their squads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>During this week, we'll present some of the new additions to each of them, starting with [program_tooltip program_id='283612' first='Austin' last='FC'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":379879,"_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-6a3e84bf2c146"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Leon joined from Texas's HTX in the ECNL League, where he was his team's captain, and will play with Austin's U15 team in 2026-2027. A center back, he has solid athleticism, holding his own in physical duels and showing great mobility to cover ground and defend in space. Leon also stands out defensively for his ability to read the game, which allows him to identify the right moment to step to intercept passes or to tackle an opponent. A lefty, he's very composed and efficient on the ball and is comfortable when initiating the team's buildup out of the back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO7XHWEjdkm/","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/reel/DO7XHWEjdkm/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["335586"],"_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-6a3e879aabd5e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Smith last played for Silicon Valley SA in California in the MLS Next League and will be another interesting addition to Austin's U15 team. A dynamic and creative attacking player, he can play more centrally, as a midfielder, or on the wings. Smith stands out for his quality on the ball and for how quick and direct he is, especially when dribbling the ball upfield through the center of the field. He does a great job of getting into good spots inside the box to finish chances, is very calm in front of the goal, and is extremely accurate with his set-piece deliveries, be it a long-distance shot or a cross out of a corner kick. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSWNScej97M/","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/reel/DSWNScej97M/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["379888"],"_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-6a3e879aabe53"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Vukelic comes to Austin from the Illinois Sockers FC team that competes in the MLS Next League and will join their U19 team. One of the most sought-after prospects in the country, he will add to their offensive power with his intriguing combination of technical and physical tools. A lefty, Vukelic can play as a striker or a right winger, showing excellent dribbling and finishing skills. He thrives in space, making use of his impressive acceleration to get a head start on opponents, but also has a strong presence inside the box, using his big frame to battle for space and his superior positioning to get on the end of crosses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIwxUiiyGss/","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/reel/DIwxUiiyGss/ </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["379892"],"_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-6a3e9426132d8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Marichal was recently playing for Weston FC in the MLS Next League (he played for Inter Miami before) and will strengthen Austin's U19 team next season. He's an attacking midfielder who likes to drop deeper to get on the ball and use his passing vision to create chances for his teammates. Marichal likes to operate between the lines and constantly finds himself in good spots because of his smart movement off the ball, but is also an excellent dribbler, and he uses that to create space when opponents box him. He's lethal in free kicks on the edge of the box and can also hit powerful and well-placed shots in the run of play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lbnqv9AinE","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lbnqv9AinE </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->