With 22 MLS clubs and 17 international opponents competing, the 2019 edition of Generation adidas Cup is set to kick off on Sunday, April 14 in Frisco, Texas. This year’s tournament will bring the best teams and most talented young talent from MLS and around the globe together to showcase the world’s most competitive youth tournament.
While the players in MLS academies compete against quality competition on a weekly basis in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, the chance to compete against top youth academies from across the world will provide a measuring stick for each player in the tournament. How they perform in these matches could either provide a launching point in their careers or show to them that they need to work harder to become professionals.
Many current stars in MLS and the US men's national team previously competed in the tournament including Weston McKennie, Djordje Mihailovic, Reggie Cannon and Zack Steffen. More recently, there have also been 18 players who have been signed to first-team contracts after appearing in either the 2017 or 2018 GA Cup including Efrain Alvarez, Brenden Aaronson and Gianluca Busio. You can also expect to see players currently signed to MLS contracts in this year's tournament with D.C. United's Griffin Yow and San Jose Earthquakes forward Cade Cowell among the possibilities.
The fields in Frisco are a breeding ground for the future stars of MLS and seeing if these players are good enough to compete against players from across the globe. The more of them that are able to compete, the better the league will be in the near future.
The future of soccer will be front and center across MLS’ channels with more in-depth match coverage and analysis, giving a closer look at the tournament as never before. New features will go behind-the-scenes of the player experience and be accessible in new ways, shining light on the most promising players from the league’s academies and abroad.
