19-year-old burgeoning American star Justin Ellis has been named MLS NEXT Pro Pathway Player of the Year, the league announced Thursday, picking up an award that acknowledges his unprecedented rise through the MLS ranks and into the soccer stratosphere.
The Orlando City striker made his senior debut for the U.S. men’s national team this fall, scoring twice in three outings and playing a critical role in the nation’s perfect record. He found the back of the net just four minutes into his debut against Peru, flicking a header off of a free kick into the back post to open scoring. It marked the fastest debut goal in the modern era of the USMNT.
