This years U17 MLS NEXT Cup winners, LA Galaxy, was a team truly inspired and at the focal point of this inspiration seemed to be with standout player: Ruben Ramos Jr.

Ramos Jr was a player on mission over the course of the tournament and it seemed that he truly could do whatever he wanted whenever he was on the pitch. Whether he was holding up play and making the key pass to one of his teammates or turning his shoulder and sending rockets at the opposing goalkeeper, the young forward gave some of the most inspirational performances I’ve seen for someone his age. The way Ramos Jr was able to manipulate the play of the game to his pace and find success no matter where he was on the pitch shows how truly talented he is.

A characteristic I truly admire of Ramos Jr’s is the fact that he is a massively talented individual that doesn’t seem to present any ego into the world around him. He simply knows he’s talented, know the players he plays and competes with are talented and plays his part in order to find success for his team. He didn’t have to become the leading goalscorer or even the tournament MVP in order to show that he is undoubtedly the most promising talent on the pitch. It is his professionalism and comfortability on the pitch during all aspects of the match that makes him, in my opinion, the most professional ready player of the entire tournament.

While I’m not sure where Ruben Ramos Jr’s career will take him, I can absolutely say that it was a pleasure to watch him compete during this years MLS NEXT Cup.

River’s 3 traits to consider:

Humble: Ramos Jr has an attitude to cheer for. He’s one of the hottest prospects in the LA Galaxy system but still messes around and jokes with his friends and coaches before and after games. He was respectful to everyone around him and you could tell there wasn’t an ego issue when it came to him. That’s something that is critical to his ability to learn and adapt at the next level.

Decisive: Ramos Jr knows what he wants to do with the ball, he’s able to see steps ahead and preposition himself to receive and distribute the ball wherever he desires. He can find himself at the tip of the attack, the outside edges of the pitch or even back in the middle of the field and somehow he still is able to impact the play. He’s adaptable and makes rapid decisions on and off the ball.

Committed: He loves this game. You can see the joy in his eyes when he’s on the pitch, there is no burn out or lack of desire to be there. He hasn’t let the weight of being a top prospect ruin the joy he has when he’s out on the pitch and with that joy comes a commitment to his teammates and coaches. You can tell this game means the world to him because he loves it.