Major League Soccer has released its annual 22 Under 22 ranking of the league's top young players, and Christian McFarlane of New York City FC made the cut.
The 17-year-old left-back was ranked 20th and is the only member of this year's young New York City squad to crack the list. McFarlane is the 15th NYCFC player to make the cut since the club joined MLS in 2015.
Diego Gomez, the 21-year-old Paraguayan midfielder of Supporters' Shield-winning Inter Miami CF, was ranked at the very top of this year's list.
New York City had seven players on the eligible player list released by MLS before the announcement of the final 22-name shortlist.
None of Máximo Carrizo, Julián Fernández, Agustín Ojeda, Mitja Ilenič, Jovan Mijatović, or Malachi Jones garnered enough votes to earn places in the top 22. Something of an eye-opener in context of how much New York City spent in transfer fees combined on Fernández, Ojeda, and Mijatović – . That trio arrived with big expectations and big pedigrees, yet none have had the types of seasons to warrant spots in this year's 22 Under 22.
New York City FC | 22 Under 22
| Year | Player | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Christian McFarlane | #20 |
| 2023 | Talles Magno | #12 |
| 2022 | Talles Magno | #3 |
| Thiago | #16 | |
| 2021 | James Sands | #3 |
| Thiago | #19 | |
| 2020 | James Sands | #6 |
| 2019 | Taty Castellanos | #6 |
| James Sands | #12 | |
| 2017* | Jack Harrison | #3 |
| Yangel Herrera | #6 | |
| Ronald Matarrita | #16 | |
| 2016* | Jack Harrison | #2 |
| Ronald Matarrita | #13 | |
| 2015* | Kwadwo Poku | #7 |
* It was "24 Under 24" until 2018
Malachi Jones arrived via the MLS SuperDraft, yet he feels like someone who would have had an excellent case for inclusion on this list – if he'd not suffered that broken leg on June 23 that has sidelined him for all matches the team has played since.
The 21-year-old out of Lipscomb University was growing into a bigger contributor for New York City at the time of his injury and had one goal and one assist in 14 early-season appearances.
While Jones didn't make it, McFarlane did, and this counts as the latest standout moment in a year full of them for the defender born in England but raised in New York.
He made his MLS debut with New York City on June 13 at Yankee Stadium, when he came on as a substitute in a 4-2 loss to Columbus Crew. McFarlane then played 12 more times with the NYCFC First Team, learning on the job and proving up to the level of MLS while filling in for an injured Kevin O'Toole.
Oliver Strand
McFarlane has done all this while he's consistently been said to be close to his New York City FC departure. There have been multiple reports of him being "on the verge" of signing with NYCFC's City Football Group sister club Manchester City FC in the English Premier League.
Just this week brought out yet another report from Fabrizio Romano that McFarlane will be off to Manchester when the calendar flips to January 2025.
🔵🏴 Manchester City will sign 2007 born talented left back Christian McFarlane in January 2025, deal sealed as expected.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 8, 2024
Man City Academy and City Football Group to bring in another huge talent as from US after Cavan Sullivan. pic.twitter.com/hOm3MDjCUw
It's unclear how long McFarlane remains in New York City, but he does join the team's long history with this ranking of the top young players in MLS. Kwadwo Poku was the first New York City player to ever make one of these lists, ranked seventh in what was then the 24 Under 24 in October 2015. His legend knew no limits during that inaugural season for the club, when he scored six goals and had six assists in 28 appearances in all competitions.
Jack Harrison, Yangel Herrera, Ronald Mataritta, Jesus Medina, Taty Castellanos, James Sands, Thiago Andrade, and Talles Magno all have featured on these lists in over the years for NYCFC. Only James Sands – who ranked third on the 2021 U22 list – remains a member of the team.
Talles Magno was the most recent member of the club to place on the 22 Under 22, ranked 12th on the 2023 list. That ranking came despite Talles having such a rough time during the down 2023 NYCFC season, but it also was a notably lower ranking than when he placed third on the 2022 version of the list.
No New York City player has ever won the honor of the top spot in these young MLS player rankings, with Jack Harrison's second-place finish in 2016's 24 Under 24 still the highest placement to date. Harrison went on to a successful career in England in the Championship and Premier League, while Talles Magno is back in Brazil on loan with Corinthians.
McFarlane has risen rapidly, already proving he can produce in MLS at the tender age of 17 and continuing to look headed to Manchester at age 18 for his next career test.
Andrew Leigh
