Tag Archives: Minnesota United FC

FC Dallas’ Jesus Ferreira Named the MLS Young Player of the Year

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Jesus Ferreira is celebrating a major MLS honor… 

The 21-year-old Colombia professional soccer player, a forward for FC Dallas, has been named the MLS Young Player of the Year after matching the franchise record for goals in a season.

Jesus FerreiraFerreira scored 18 goals to share the record with Jason Kreis (1999) and Kenny Cooper (2008). The 18 goals tied for fourth best in Major League Soccer this season, with Nashville SC‘s Hany Mukhtar leading the league with 23. 

Ferreira also netted a goal from the penalty spot during Dallas’ shootout win over Minnesota United FC in the MLS playoffs on Monday night.

The YPOTY award is given out to players age 22 and under and was known as Rookie of the Year until being changed in 2020.

Ferreira received 32.4 percent of the votes from a panel of players, technical staff and media.

Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada (17.3 percent) finished second and FC Cincinnati forward Brenner (8.2 percent) was third.

Ferreira also had six assists while playing in 33 matches (29 starts) this season. He has 36 goals and 22 assists in 114 career matches (97 starts) for FC Dallas.

Ferreira, who turns 22 on December 24, made his MLS debut at age 16 during the 2017 season.

The United States men’s national team is also expecting Ferreira to be a key contributor for Gregg Berhalter at the World Cup in Qatar. He became the fifth player in USMNT history to score four goals in a match when he turned the trick against Grenada on June 11 in a CONCACAF match.

Almada, 21, had six goals and 12 assists in 29 matches (25 starts) this season, while Brenner, 22, had 18 goals and six assists in 29 matches (22 starts).

FC Dallas’ Jesus Ferreira Named to 2022 MLS All-Star Game

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Jesus Ferreira is getting his all-star moment…

The 21-year-old Colombian professional soccer player, a forward with FC Dallas, is among the 26 players named to the 2022 MLS All-Star Game.

Jesus FerreiraFerrerira will be joined by fellow U.S. men’s national team hopefuls DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman, Jordan Morris, Paul Arriola, Aaron Long and Sean Johnson, along with reigning Major League Soccer award winners Valentin Castellanos and Carles Gil.

For the second year in a row, the MLS All-Star Game will feature a battle against Mexican topflight Liga MX, this time at Minnesota United FC‘s Allianz Field on August 10.

FC Dallas striker Ferreira scored four goals for the USMNT in a 5-0 victory over Grenada last month in the CONCACAF Nations League. At 21, he is the first homegrown designated player in FC Dallas history.

The list also includes Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC), Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy), Alexander Callens (New York City FC), Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati), Sebastian Driussi (Austin FC), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Kamal Miller (CF Montréal), Diego Palacios (LAFC), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew), Emanuel Reynoso (Minnesota United FC), Ilie Sanchez (LAFC), Paul Arriola (FC Dallas), Taxiarchis Fountas (D.C. United), Raul Ruidiaz (Seattle Sounders FC) Carlos Vela (LAFC) Javier Hernandez (LA Galaxy), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC).

The Liga MX All-Stars include Julio Furch (Atlas), Andre-Pierre Gignac (Tigres), Jordan Carrillo (Santos Laguna), Heriberto Jurado (Necaxa), Luis Chavez (Pachuca), Angel Mena (Leon), Julian Quinones (Atlas), Aldo Rocha (Atlas), Kevin Alvarez (Pachuca), Diego Barbosa (Atlas), Hugo Nervo (Atlas), William Tesillo (Leon), Oscar Ustari (Pachuca) and Camilo Vargas (Atlas).

The 19,600-seat stadium was previously revealed as the venue for the interleague exhibition last October, along with the news that Minnesota United’s Adrian Heath would be the coach for the MLS All-Star roster.

The 2022 All-Star Game (kickoff scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET) will be broadcast live on ESPN in the United States in English, as well as ESPN throughout Mexico and Latin America in Spanish.

In the first All-Star Game meeting between MLS and Liga MX last August, MLS walked away with a narrow win through penalties at LAFC‘s Banc of California Stadium.

Following a 1-1 draw in regulation time, MLS claimed a 3-2 shootout victory thanks to a penalty-winning goal from then-FC Dallas and current U.S. men’s national team striker Ricardo Pepi.

Since announcing a partnership in 2018, Liga MX and MLS have worked together through not only the All-Star Game but also collaborations like the Campeones Cup and Leagues Cup.

Juan Agudelo Signs One-Year Contract with Minnesota United FC

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Juan Agudelo is heading to the Land of 10,000 Lakes…

Minnesota United FC has added a much-needed striker on a free transfer by signing the 28-year-old Colombian professional soccer player, veteran MLS forward and former USMNT player to a one-year deal.

Juan Agudelo

Last season, Agudelo played 14 games and scored three goals with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF. Before that, he played most of his career in MLS with the New England Revolution, scoring 35 goals in 156 regular-season games.

“The crazy thing about Juan [Agudelo] is, you forget he’s just 28. He seems to have been around for years and I go back to Juan, all the way back to the beginning of Orlando,” said Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath. “He was going to go to England, Stoke City, and he was trying to get the paperwork through. He came in and asked if he could train for a week.

“Six weeks later he was still training for us, so we have got a little bit of a connection there. We just think he’s going to be another really valuable squad player for what’s going to be another really hectic year with the condensed program schedule, and for us to bring somebody in who we know can play in the MLS, play three or four positions, he can play through the middle, he can play wide right, wide left.

“Nothing is going to faze him. He had a really good impact last year when he played for Inter Miami. I think it’s a really good pick up for us.”

Agudelo began his professional career in 2010 as a Homegrown Player for the New York Red Bulls, playing his first two seasons in New Jersey. In his time with the club, he made 33 regular season appearances, totaling six goals and two assists.

Internationally, Agudelo has represented the United States at various age levels, having moved to the U.S. from Colombia at the age of seven.

He made appearances for the U17, U20 and U23 teams before earning senior call-ups.

In total, Agudelo has earned 28 senior appearances. He made his debut in a 2010 match against South Africa and scored the game’s only goal, at the time becoming the country’s youngest ever goal scorer in a senior game.