NEW YORK (Friday, August 13, 2021) – Today, MLS NEXT and adidas announced the winners of the Golden Ball for the 2020-2021 MLS NEXT Season. The Golden Ball presented by adidas is awarded to the player of the year for each of four age groups (U15, U16, U17, U19) for the inaugural 2020-2021 MLS NEXT season.
- WATCH: LA Galaxy Forward Sebastian Lletget presents trophy to U15 Golden Ball Winner Paulo Rudisill from U15 LA Galaxy Academy
- WATCH: FC Delco presents Liam May with Golden Ball in front of club and family members
- Orlando City SC honor U17 Gonzalo Agustoni-Chagas with Golden Ball Presented by adidas in Front of Packed Exploria Stadium
- WATCH: Solar technical staff surprise JP Jordan and his family with the exciting news
The industry leading partnership between adidas and Major League Soccer continues to drive the evolution of player development. adidas provides the official match ball for all MLS NEXT matches and works with MLS to advance the game in North America by creating an atmosphere that supports the next generation of rising stars on the professional pathway.
U15 – Paulo Rudisill – LA Galaxy
Paulo Rudisill joined the LA Galaxy Academy in 2018 and is a player with unmatchable work ethic. As a team captain throughout the 2020-2021 MLS NEXT inaugural season, Rudisill played every minute and lead the LA Galaxy U-15’s by pushing himself and his teammates on and off the field. His efforts helped the LA Galaxy U-15 squad earn the number one seed for the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs. Besides being a talented and creative player on the field, the 15-year-old midfielder has a positive mindset that fits perfect within the LA Galaxy Academy high performance training environment. As he continues his development path into the U-17 age group, Rudisill is looking to lead the squad to an MLS NEXT Cup this upcoming season.
U16 – Liam May – FC Delco
Since May's arrival to FC DELCO in 2017 from Chestnut Hill Lightning (his neighborhood youth club), May has been a role model on and off the field. May scored big goals all season, helping his team reach the MLS NEXT semifinals.
U17 – Gonzalo Agustoni-Chagas – Orlando City SC
After joining the Orlando City Academy in August 2020, Agustoni-Chagas scored four goals during the 2020-2021 MLS NEXT regular season and most recently added a pair of goals during the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs to lead his team to the MLS NEXT Cup title last month. Gonzalo is currently in camp with the U17 Uruguayan National Team.
U19 – Jon Paul Jordan II – Solar
Jon Paul Jordan II (JP) has played an integral role as an attacking and defensive midfielder on Solar SC’s most elite teams for seven years. Notably, JP was a starting midfielder as a U15 player on Solar’s U17 DA team that won the 2019 Development Academy National Championship. His remarkable talent, unmatched work ethic, and IQ for the game helped position the 2020-21 team for an impressive run for the inaugural MLS Next U19 National Championship. JP is attending SMU college in the fall.
North America’s leading platform for elite boys’ soccer features competition across six age groups: U13, U14, U15, U16, U17 and U19. The full list of member clubs can be found HERE. More information about MLS NEXT can be found HERE. Further updates about the 2021-22 MLS NEXT Season will be available in the coming weeks.
ABOUT MLS NEXT
MLS NEXT is a new paradigm for player development, launched in 2020 to transform youth soccer in North America. Founded on a collaborative approach to governance and a commitment to innovation, MLS NEXT players have access to the highest level of competition, training and personal development opportunities that will prepare them for their futures, both in soccer and in life. Current membership includes 118 clubs, 521 teams and over 11,000 players across the U.S. and Canada. Official partners of MLS NEXT include adidas and Carolina Online at the University of South Carolina. For more information about MLS NEXT, visit www.mlssoccer.com/mlsnext.
