Move over Freddy Adu, there’s a new youngest player in Major League Soccer.
That honor goes to Axel Kei, the 14-year-old who signed with Real Salt Lake earlier this month.
Kei, who broke the 18-year record set by Adu by 155 days, signed a two-year deal with RSL.
The 6-foot-4 Kei, who was born in the Ivory Coast and raised in Brazil, made history in October when the then 13-year-old came off the bench for Real Monarchs and became the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history.
Last summer, Kei scored five goals in five games, including a hat trick against Southern California’s Total Futbol Academy, to lead RSL Academy’s U15 side to the first MLS Next Cup Championship.
“Over the last year Axel has proven to be one of the top attacking prospects in the country,” Real Salt Lake general manager Elliot Fall said in a statement. “His propensity in front of goal is well beyond his years, and coupled with his elite athleticism, he projects to become a goal-scoring force in our league in the years to come.”
Kei will be mentioned in the same breath, and perhaps unfairly compared, to Adu because of the record he broke.
When Adu debuted in 2004 with D.C. United, he was unfairly hyped by some as “the next Pele” and never lived up to those massive expectations.
RSL, it appears at least in the early going, are looking to protect Kei, limiting his media availability and letting him acclimate to his new team and teammates as preseason opens.
How Kei handles the rigors of Major League Soccer, how much he’ll contribute at a young age and how he’ll pan out all remains to be seen.
But it’s clear where he is already in MLS history. Now let’s look at the other players on that list and where they are now.
Freddy Adu, D.C. United (14 years, 168 days): After two seasons with D.C. United, where he scored 11 goals in 87 matches, Adu was traded to RSL and scored once in 11 appearances. After impressing for the United States at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Adu was transferred to Portuguese powerhouse Benfica midway through the 2007 season. He had a journeyman career, playing for 15 different clubs in nine countries, the last being Österlen FF in the Swedish third division in 2000.
Emmanuel Ochoa, San Jose Earthquakes (14 years, 191 days): The 6-foot-2 goalkeeper became the youngest homegrown player in MLS history (the rule was created in 2008), in Nov. 2019 by the San Jose Earthquakes. Ochoa has moved up from the club’s academy, but hasn’t made his MLS debut yet. Eligible to play for both the United States and Mexico, Ochoa was called up by the Mexican U18 team in August and debuted in a 2-1 loss to the Republic of Ireland.
Christian McFarlane, New York City FC (14 years, 234 days): The defender was signed by NYCFC in September after three years in the club’s academy, most recently with the U17 squad. He’s with the reigning MLS Cup champions in preseason camp.
Gabriel Slonina, Chicago Fire (14 years, 297 days): The 6-foot-4 goalkeeper made his way up through the Fire’s academy to sign a homegrown contract in March, 2019. Nicknamed Gaga, Slonina became the youngest goalkeeper to make his MLS debut in August, at 17 years, 81 days, securing a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw against NYCFC.
He’s made 11 appearances and will be the club’s No. 1 goalkeeper to start the 2022 season. Slonina’s star continues to rise, having been called up by the United States for upcoming World Cup qualifiers and has drawn interest from clubs in Italy, Germany and Spain.
Bento Estrela, New York Red Bulls (14 years, 364 days): The midfielder was signed to a homegrown contract last February. He joined the New York Red Bulls academy in the summer of 2019 and competed for the U19 academy squad. Estrela became the youngest player signed by the Red Bulls, breaking a record previously held by USMNT regular Tyler Adams.
Joe Scally, New York City FC (15 years, 83 days): The outside back signed a homegrown contract in 2018 and before making his MLS debut, a deal was brokered to send Scally to Borussia Monchengladbach, which went into effect Jan. 2021. He’s become a regular starter for the German Bundesliga club and was called up by the USMNT for the last round of World Cup qualifiers.
Gianluca Busio, Sporting Kansas City (15 years, 89 days): Busio signed a homegrown contract with Sporting KC in Aug. 2017 and a year later made his first team debut, at 16 years and nine days old. He picked up an assist in a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo, which made him the the second-youngest to record an assist at 16 years and 68 days. He made a move to Venezia in Italy’s Serie A last August in what was described as a “club-record deal.”
Cade Cowell, San Jose Earthquakes (15 years, 102 days): Cowell signed a homegrown contract with the Quakes Jan. 2019 and the powerful attacking player made his MLS debut a year later. The powerful attacking young standout has six goals and seven assists in 50 appearances across two seasons.
Fuad Ibrahim, Toronto FC (15 years, 130 days): Ibrahim became the second youngest player ever selected in the MLS SuperDraft in 2007. He scored three goals in 26 appearances for Toronto FC before joining Minnesota Stars FC of the North American Soccer League in 2012. Ibrahim went on to play with AC Kajaani in Finland’s second division and competed for Dire Dawa City SC in Ethiopia. Internationally, Ibrahim played for the United States on the youth level and earned six caps with Ethiopia from 2012-13.
