Records were meant to be broken, and after Freddy Adu's 18-year-old mark as the youngest professional player in MLS history was beaten last month, that bar has been reset again.
Maximo Carrizo officially became the youngest player in MLS history, signing a professional contract with NYCFC on his 14th birthday on Feb. 28. The signing sees Carrizo top Axel Kei, who signed with Real Salt Lake in mid-January and at the time became the record holder.
Prior to Carrizo and Kei, the youngest player in MLS history was Freddy Adu, who famously signed a pro contract with D.C. United in 2004 at 14 years and 168 days old. Adu would go on to become the youngest player ever to appear in U.S. professional sports when he came off the bench for D.C. United's first match that season.
Adu would also mark himself as the youngest player to ever score an MLS goal by finding the back of the net on April 17 of that year.
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The Adu record stood for quite some time, and though four other players came close in recent years, signing before their 15th birthdays, they were still all a tad older.
“It’s an honor for me and my family to make MLS history by becoming the league’s youngest player to sign a first team contract," said Carrizo in the club's announcement. "This is an incredible club with amazing people, I’d like to thank everyone at NYCFC for believing in me and helping me take the next step in my career.
"I know I’m young and I have a lot to improve, but I am ready for the challenge and will work hard every day to show everyone what I am capable of."
Youngest players in MLS history
There have been plenty of young players to sign professional contracts in MLS.
Below are the 10 youngest players in league history.
| Player | Age | Club | Year Signed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximo Carrizo | 14 years, 0 days | NYCFC | 2022 |
| Axel Kei | 14 years, 15 days | Real Salt Lake | 2022 |
| Freddy Adu | 14 years, 168 days | D.C. United | 2004 |
| Emmanuel Ochoa | 14 years, 191 days | San Jose Earthquakes | 2019 |
| Christian McFarlane | 14 years, 234 days | NYCFC | 2021 |
| Gabriel Slonina | 14 years, 297 days | Chicago Fire | 2019 |
| Bento Estrela | 14 years, 364 days | NY Red Bulls | 2021 |
| Joe Scally | 15 years, 83 days | NYCFC | 2018 |
| Gianluca Busio | 15 years, 89 days | Sporting KC | 2019 |
| Cade Cowell | 15 years, 102 days | San Jose Earthquakes | 2019 |
Who is Maxmio Carrizo?
Maximo Carrizo, signing a professional contract with NYCFC on his 14th birthday, is the youngest player in MLS history.
Born in Manhattan and of Argentine descent, Carrizo joined NYCFC's academy in 2018 at just nine years old. He was a member of FC Westchester based in New Rochelle, New York, and was invited to the club's first-team preseason camp earlier this winter.
Carrizo has also recently earned attention at the national team level, one of 36 players called in to the U.S. Under-15 training camp in early January. He was one of just three players on the roster born in 2008.
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The youngster's deal with NYCFC is for six years, taking him through the 2027 season.
“It’s inspiring to see how NYCFC produces talent and how homegrown players get the opportunity to play in the first team,” Carrizo said. “I know this will take some time, but I am willing to be patient and learn from the amazing group of players and coaches that we have at this club.”
The club announced that Carrizo will be eligible to play for the NYCFC II team set to compete in the newly formed MLS NEXT Pro League, which is the USA's new third division.
The MLS NEXT Pro League begins play in March, with NYCFC II scheduled to kick off on March 27, playing home games at Belson Stadium in Queens, NY on the campus of St. John's University.
