The youngest soccer player to turn pro in the United States has reportedly just made the move abroad.
Fifteen-year-old midfielder Francis Jacobs has completed a deal to join Rangers, according to a report from The Athletic. Jacobs is signing with the Scottish side after most recently playing for USL Championship side Orange County SC.
The move comes after Jacobs spent time with a Rangers youth team, playing for the club’s Under-16 squad at the Al Kass International Cup in Doha, Qatar. He had also previously spent time with German sides Bayer Leverkusen and FC Cologne.
The 6-foot central midfielder became the youngest American to sign a pro deal back in August 2019. Jacobs signed his first contract at 14 years, four months, and 29 days, surpassing the previous U.S. record held by former teen phenom Freddy Adu.
Jacobs made one start and two appearances for Orange County SC last year. He played a total of 67 minutes in the first season of his career.
does he have a UK/EU passport? there is a FIFA 18 year old rule….
He apparently has a UK passport and will join at the end of the season according to the Daily Record.
Looks no where close to 15 years old but good luck to him lol
Let’s hope the hype doesn’t go to his head….he’ll likely be on the youth team which is better than starting with the 1st team like Adu….if he turns out to be any good, he may end up a center back…at his age he has 4-6 more years of growth spurts….
freddy’s problem is he had a junior game on top of the attitude problem. short, no hops, slow, low motor. just technical and that’s it. this kid is already 6′. if freddy had been fast or tall and technical but an attitude problem he would likely still be employed.
Thankfully, there’s been nowhere near the hype Freddy got really for any American prospect since, including Pulisic and Company. Freddy was in a Pele commercial, Sierra Mist ads, had a Nike deal, was all over every billboard, and was the most recognizable American soccer player in the world at 14 despite not even making a pro debut (at a time when Landon Donovan was nearing the apex of his career). The fact that this kid is heading to Rangers and half the fanbase in America has likely never heard of him as probably a great thing for him.