If you're good enough, you're old enough. And MLS has plenty of talent for which that aphorism rings true.
Six weeks after Real Salt Lake made homegrown forward Axel Kei the youngest signing in MLS history at 14 years and 15 days old, there's a new record-holder atop the list: NYCFC midfielder Maximo Carrizo, who celebrated his 14th birthday by signing his first-team deal with the Cityzens on Feb. 28.
Carrizo joins two other NYCFC players in the top 10 youngest-ever signings in MLS, with defenders Joe Scally and Christian McFarlane being the others.
Kei had broken the long-standing record of former teenage sensation Freddy Adu, who signed his first contract at 14 years and 168 days old in 2004.
Below is the list of how old each player was on the day they signed their MLS contract.
Player (club) | Age when signed | Year signed |
|---|---|---|
1. Maximo Carrizo (NYCFC) | 14 years, 0 days | 2022 |
2. Axel Kei (Real Salt Lake) | 14 years, 15 days | 2022 |
3. Freddy Adu (D.C. United) | 14 years, 168 days | 2004 |
4. Emmanuel Ochoa (San Jose Earthquakes) | 14 years, 191 days | 2019 |
5. Christian McFarlane (NYCFC) | 14 years, 234 days | 2021 |
6. Nimfasha Berchimas (Charlotte FC) | 14 years, 268 days | 2022 |
7. Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire) | 14 years, 297 days | 2019 |
8. Bento Estrela (New York Red Bulls) | 14 years, 364 days | 2021 |
9. Luis Rivera (Real Salt Lake) | 15 years, 36 days | 2023 |
10. Joe Scally (NYCFC) | 15 years, 83 days | 2018 |
