FRISCO, Texas — In December, Toronto FC made Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty the youngest professional in team history, signing him to their USL League One side Toronto FC II at just 14 years old.
Throughout the week at Generation adidas Cup, he showed everyone why.
Marshall-Rutty capped off a successful week by scoring a wonder strike in Saturday’s 1-1 penalty-kick shootout loss to Chivas de Guadalajara in the Under-15 GA Cup final. The goal was his fourth of the tournament after scoring game-winners against Club Leon and Cruz Azul.
"The ball came bouncing to me and I didn’t hesitate to have a strike because I’ve scored like that before,” Marshall-Rutty told MLSsoccer.com. "It was a challenging week, but also really fun. I just want to play this game, I love playing this game and the more I can play, the better.”
Marshall-Rutty, who has yet to debut with TFC II, was dispatched on the right flank for the young Reds in Texas, taking a bouncing ball first time with the outside of his right boot to lash home an impressive strike. The teenager has played both in his age group at the U-15 tournament as well as making two starts for the U-17s in Frisco.
"We see a future in the kid. We see he’s going to have a bright future, so our job is to facilitate his development in the best way possible, putting him in top-level competition both two years up and at his own age, experiencing obstacles and having some success,” Toronto academy coach Michael Stefano told MLSsoccer.com. "I think this week has been a massive learning experience for sure.”
Though he doesn’t even turn 15 until June, Marshall-Rutty has his eyes on a bright future, saying that he fashions his game after TFC's Michael Bradley and the work he puts in both on and off the field. He’s yet another young talent to watch, and could become a breakout star in next year’s GA Cup.
"I don’t think [signing a contract] changes anything,” said Marshall-Rutty. "Even when I was younger, I worked hard every single day and now that I have signed a pro contract it doesn’t change anything. I just want to work hard in training and games."
