After enjoying a breakout campaign in 2019, Sporting Kansas City Academy product and U.S. youth international Gianluca Busio is looking to take another big step in 2020.
The 17-year-old became the youngest MLS player to score in consecutive league matches last season and finished the year with 26 competitive appearances. With momentum and buzz on his side, the talented midfielder has been tabbed one of the league's top 10 young players for the 2020 season by MLSsoccer.com.
"Despite being the youngest player on this list, Gianluca Busio is already entering his fourth professional season," writes Benjamin Baer. "He gained a lot of experience last season, playing 923 minutes and scoring three goals. Most comfortable as an attacking midfielder, the 17-year-old will have to battle much older players for playing time this year as he hopes to translate some of his attacking gifts into goals for Peter Vermes' team."
Busio tallied two goals in five exhibition appearances for Sporting during the club's 2020 preseason, presented by Children's Mercy. He will now join his teammates in gearing up for the start of the regular season on Saturday when Sporting visits Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place, the venue where Busio became the second-youngest goal scorer in league history in a 4-1 victory on Oct. 17, 2018.
After battling the Whitecaps, Busio and Sporting will return to Kansas City for their highly anticipated home opener on Saturday, March 7, versus rivals Houston Dynamo at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets for the contest are now available at SeatGeek.com and the first 10,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive a free rally towel courtesy of match sponsor UMB Bank.
Tickets for Sporting’s first 10 home matches of the 2020 season, as well as several multi-game ticket packages, are on sale now at SportingKC.com/tickets.
