Soccer <\/p>\n
MLS is Back and so is Young Players of the Matchday \u2013 our recurring segment where we highlight standout performances from the league\u2019s rising talents.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Each week, we\u2019ll spotlight a handful of the best individual efforts from players aged 21 and under. With 30 teams and a variety of pathways to MLS, we\u2019ll also shout out a few honorable mentions.<\/p>\n
Matchday 1 delivered no shortage of performances to feature, so let\u2019s get right to it and start with one of the central characters in Gregg Berhalter\u2019s rebuild in the Windy City.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
It turned out to be a poor result for the Fire<\/a>, but it shouldn\u2019t take away from a virtuoso effort delivered by Chicago\u2019s homegrown No. 10.<\/p>\n Guti\u00e9rrez<\/a> got his 2025 campaign off to an excellent start, bagging two go-ahead goals which were squandered in a 4-2 defeat<\/a> at the Columbus Crew<\/a>.<\/p>\n Can the rising US international keep building a promising relationship with DP winger and marquee offseason signing Jonathan Bamba<\/a>?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Just a kid from Chicago. #cf97<\/a> | #CLBvsCHI<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/iUaFacMoxr<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) February 23, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Inter Miami<\/a>\u2019s 21-year-old Venezuelan international got an early taste of the perks of playing alongside Lionel Messi<\/a> in his MLS debut.<\/p>\n Segovia<\/a> salvaged a 2-2 draw<\/a> for the 10-man Herons vs. New York City FC<\/a> with his last-second chip, which marked the second of Messi\u2019s two assists on the night.<\/p>\n This offseason, Inter Miami acquired Segovia from Portuguese top-flight side Casa Pia AC.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 23, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n The Slovenian right back helped pull off arguably the headiest set-piece maneuver of the weekend with his opportunistic finish to equalize against Inter Miami shortly after the hosts went down to 10 men.<\/p>\n Ilenic<\/a> scored off a feed from teammate Maxi Moralez<\/a>, who\u2019s older than him by a cool 17 years. This might be the greatest age disparity we see between goal-scorer and assist-provider all season!<\/p>\n Even more, Ilenic produced a goal celebration that stoked rivalry flames between Messi and fellow superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n ???? New York City FC defender Mitja Ilenic on his Siuuu goal-scoring celebration vs. Inter Miami:<\/p>\n “I’m a big fan of Cristiano (Ronaldo), to be honest.<\/p>\n “That was basically my dream: to do it in front of (Lionel) Messi.”#InterMiamiCF<\/a> #Messi????<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Vl7QACivju<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) February 23, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Corcoran<\/a> made history for Nashville SC<\/a> in their 0-0 draw<\/a> with the New England Revolution<\/a>, becoming the youngest starter in club history with a 90-minute shift.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The 19-year-old US youth international was acquired this offseason from USL Championship side Birmingham Legion and previously played in the FC Dallas<\/a> Academy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n “I still want to keep progressing, and hopefully one day see how far I can go, and maybe get to Europe.”<\/p>\n Matthew Corcoran talks about his path to becoming the youngest starter in Nashville SC history.#EveryoneN<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Gmo2sN6a0b<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Valair (@valairshabilla) February 24, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n The 21-year-old made the most of his substitute cameo in the Black & Gold<\/a>‘s 1-0 victory<\/a> over Minnesota United<\/a>, assisting on teammate Jeremy Ebobisse<\/a>‘s game-winning golazo for the first goal of MLS is Back weekend.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The player Ordaz<\/a> replaced in the match was highly-rated 19-year-old teammate David Mart\u00ednez<\/a>, illustrating the youthful depth LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo has at his disposal.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 22, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Quinn Sullivan:<\/strong> Still just 20 years old but entering his fifth MLS season, the Philly<\/a> homegrown assisted on D\u00e1niel Gazdag<\/a>\u2019s 48th-minute strike as part of the Union\u2019s emphatic 4-2 rout<\/a> of Orlando City<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nathan Saliba:<\/strong> CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a>\u2019s rising Canadian international has already equaled his goal total from last season with a header in a 3-2 defeat<\/a> at Atlanta United<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jack McGlynn:<\/strong> Houston<\/a>\u2019s blockbuster offseason acquisition from Philadelphia, McGlynn<\/a> went the full 90 against FC Dallas, putting two of his four shots on target and completing 96.3% of his passes.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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