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The MLS Under-23 Best XI

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MLSUnder23BestXIGraphic

By IVES GALARCEP

The 2014 MLS season isn’t quite over, but it isn’t too late to take a look at the very best young players in the league.

In my latest Goal.com feature, I put together the MLS Under-23 Best XI, which includes the league’s best performers in 2014 born in 1991 or later. A look at the list will show you just how much top young talent is coming through the ranks.

MLS teams need to develop young talent at a better rate, but it can still be argued that there are more players 23 and under playing key roles around the league than ever before. With teams now adding USL PRO affiliates to help their youngest players develop even more quickly, we should hopefully see more and more young players featuring prominently around the league.

The fact we could have a full Best XI and honorable mention squad, and still have more players left over shows just how many more young players are seeing regular minutes.

Here are some of the players who barely missed the cut:

MLS Under-23 Best XI (Best of the Rest)

Andre Blake, Eric Miller, Shane O’Neill, Doneil Henry, Igor Juliao, Chris Duvall, Dillon Serna, Diego Fagundez, Patrick Mullins, Kekuta Manneh.

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As you may have guessed, Zac MacMath was the only goalkeeper born in 1991 or earlier to earn any sort of significant playing time in 2014, which is why Jon Kempin and Andre Blake were mentioned.

There are plenty of talented young players who showed some great potential in limited minutes in 2014, such as Tommy Thompson, Marlon Hairston, Alvas Powell, and then you have someone like Mauro Diaz, who was on his way to a dream season with FC Dallas before having 2014 derailed by injuries.

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Give my MLS Under-23 Best XI and let me know what you think of the selections. Who made the cut that you were happy to see included? Who do you feel should have made it that didn’t?

Share your thoughts below.

 

Comments

  1. Is this just a list of 11 players or a best XI team? If the latter, it could use some more defenders and fewer central midfielders.

    Reply

    • It’s an attempt at a team, but went with just three defenders given how many outstanding central midfielders and attackers there were this year in that age group. Simply had too tough a time leaving off any of the forwards/midfielders who made the cut.

      Reply

  2. I know Colorado had a rough season but Shane O’Neill is better than Birnbaum or Okugo. That’s even the case now, but when one looks at those names five years from now he’ll be two levels ahead of those other guys.

    Reply

  3. Hopefully the vast majority of the January camp is made up of many of the players on this list. If Klinsmann is serious about getting players to Europe, he needs to get younger players caps. However he’ll probably just call in Besler, Zusi who he’s seen 100 times at this point and Jermaine Jones to play him more at center back.

    Reply

    • Nope. No, no, no no no no NO. Your logic is wrong. It is NOT the job of the national team coach to get his players into favorable club situations. It is NOT the job of the national team coach to “give younger players caps so they can get to Europe.” They’re supposed to do that on their own, and then EARN their call ups. The national team isn’t a freaking charity.

      Reply

    • The ones who are currently 21 and younger. If you’re curious about a name, copy it, paste it into wikipedia, and see if they’re born in 1993 or later.

      Reply

  7. US needs to develop better talent, faster….ok, but guys like Diego Fagundez are on the bench, which is kind of nice.

    Reply

  9. Given how many 23 year olds you’ve included, the omission of Bill Hamid (who is also 23) is the biggest snub or an oversight. Hamid has been arguably the best keeper in MLS, not just among U23 keepers, this season.

    Reply

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