Fansided

Every MLS teams’ best player aged 20 or under

By Harrison Hamm

May 20, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta United forward Andrew Carleton (30) runs on the field against the Houston Dynamo in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
May 20, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta United forward Andrew Carleton (30) runs on the field against the Houston Dynamo in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 23, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Real Salt Lake defender Justen Glad (15) heads the ball against the Seattle Sounders FC during the first half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Real Salt Lake defender Justen Glad (15) heads the ball against the Seattle Sounders FC during the first half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /

Real Salt Lake: Justen Glad

Real Salt Lake have by far the largest collection of U.S. U-20 players on their roster. Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta, Sebastian Saucedo and Brooks Lennon all made appearances for the U.S. during the World Cup in May, and all are consistent players for the first team. During the World Cup, RSL struggled massively without their U-20 players, at one point losing consecutive games by a combined score of 11-3.

They all returned on June 17 against Minnesota United, with Glad, Lennon, Acosta and 20-year-old Venezuelan sensation Jefferson Savarino starting and Saucedo coming off the bench. RSL won 1-0, throwing 29 shots (nine on target) toward Bobby Shuttleworth’s goal. It was abundantly clear that they’re much, much better when they can play their young guys. Just call them Ajax.

Because of this, picking their best U-20 player is a tough task. Savarino has excelled as a No. 10, Lennon is on loan from Liverpool, and Saucedo and Acosta are clearly starting-caliber MLS players. Glad is the choice here, though. His impact when he stepped into the starting XI in central defense next to Aaron Maund was the one felt most throughout the squad, and the fact that he was able to win minutes from such talented young center-backs as Tottenham’s Cameron Carter-Vickers and former Porto loanee Erik Palmer-Brown (more on him in a bit) with the U.S. U-20s is very impressive.

Glad isn’t a right-back — looking at you, Tab Ramos — but he’s an extremely talented and mature center-back with clear USMNT potential. He’s just a shining element of RSL’s youth movement, one that rivals any other in MLS.

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