In a thrilling turn of events, Inter Miami midfielder Diego Gomez has been awarded the prestigious title of No 1 in Major League Soccer’s (MLS) 22 Under-22 series. Real Salt Lake winger Diego Luna, at the young age of 21, is in second place while Philadelphia Union midfielder Jack McGlynn, also 21, rounds out the top three rankings.
Miami has undoubtedly made its mark on the list with five players included, making it the second consecutive season where the club boasts the most representatives. Alongside Gomez, the talented Federico Redondo, Benjamin Cremaschi, Tomas Aviles, and David Ruiz have made the cut.
The highly respected publication, The Athletic, spilled the beans in September regarding Brighton & Hove Albion’s intentions to scoop up Gomez for a whopping fee of £11 million. Should the deal go through, Gomez is expected to make the jump to the Premier League club at the end of the 2024 MLS season.
Gomez’s performance on the field is nothing short of spectacular, with three goals and seven assists in 18 MLS appearances this season. Remarkably, Miami has remained unbeaten in the 15 games where Gomez has started. The Paraguay international showcased his leadership skills by captaining his side at the 2024 Olympics, where he tallied a goal and two assists. Not to mention, he made headlines by scoring his first senior goal for his country in a thrilling 1-0 victory over Brazil in September.
Chris Henderson, Miami’s chief soccer officer and sporting director, had nothing but praise for Gomez, stating, “We’re very proud of Diego for the tremendous growth he’s shown since arriving at the club and are happy to see it recognized with this special honor. He’s a game-changing player who makes everybody around him better. His dynamism paired with his effort has been crucial to the team’s success, and we are excited to see everything he will accomplish.”
The MLS’s 22 Under-22 series strives to shine a spotlight on the league’s brightest up-and-coming talent. A panel of MLS coaches, general managers, sporting directors, and pundits from MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and select media collaborated to rank the top 22 young players based on their technical, tactical, physical, and potential abilities.
History has seen FC Dallas winger Alan Velasco clinch the top spot in 2023, adding his name to a prestigious list of winners that includes the likes of Ricardo Pepi, who now plays for PSV Eindhoven, Brenden Aaronson, currently with Leeds United, Alphonso Davies, a future Champions League winner, and Miguel Almiron, who moved on to Newcastle United. Each of these players made a significant impact on the soccer world during their time in the MLS, showing the league’s ability to nurture and develop top talent.
