Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gianluca Busio has been named to The Guardian’s Next Generation list containing 60 of the best young talents in world soccer.
Busio, 17, is one of two MLS players on the annual list alongside the LA Galaxy’s Efrain Alvarez, while his only U.S. National Team counterpart included is Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna. All players on the list are born in 2002.
The Sporting KC Academy product, who was named on the United States roster of the FIFA U-17 World Cup earlier today, enjoyed a strong campaign with Sporting – making 26 appearances in all competitions and tallying three goals and one assist along the way.
Busio signed with Sporting as a Homegrown Player in August 2017, becoming the second-youngest signing in MLS history at the time (15 years and 89 days) before becoming the second-youngest player in MLS history to score a goal and record an assist in the second half of the 2018 MLS campaign.
A frequent member of the U.S. Youth National Teams, Busio scored five goals at the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship in May to earn Best XI honors and help the U.S. qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil later this month.
