MLS teen takes league by storm as New York Red Bulls tease next major European sale: 'The Boy's A Bit Special'

If you're good enough, you're old enough: just ask New York Red Bulls.

Since its founding in 2005, the New York Red Bulls Academy has established itself as one of the premium developers of talent in North America, producing a number of gifted players who have gone on to thrive in Europe and MLS: Tyler Adams, Timothy Weah, Matt Miazga, and others among them.

But even by their standards, the Red Bulls' starting XI during last weekend's season opener featured a cluster of prodigious young talents. There was Adri Mehmeti (16) in midfield, Matthew Dos Santos (17) at left back, in addition to four other U-22 starters.

Julian Hall is NYRB's next breakout talent

At centre-forward, there was 17-year-old Julian Hall, who would go on to be named the MLS Player of Matchday 1.

Born on March 24, 2008, Julian Hall was raised in New York City, joining the Red Bulls Academy in 2020. Hall scored 28 goals in 39 matches and won the club's maiden U-15 MLS NEXT Cup in 2023, where he took home the MVP Award with five goals.

After taking home the Golden Boot at the 2023 Generation Adidas Cup with five goals, Hall signed a three-year contract with the Red Bulls first-team on September 7, 2023.

Three weeks later, Hall became the third-youngest player to debut in MLS as well as the youngest debutant in club history after making his sole appearance of the season.

Since then, Hall has been forced to bide his time and make do with late substitute cameos. On June 19, 2024, he needed just a few seconds off the bench to score an 88th-minute equaliser vs. CF Montréal, becoming the second-youngest scorer in MLS history after Freddy Adu.

All told, Hall scored two goals in 13 appearances during 2024 before scoring two in 31 outings in 2025, in addition to representing the USA at the U-15 and U-17 level.

Despite mainly graduating from reserve duties in MLS Next Pro and finding a foothold in the first-team, few could have predicted that Hall would be starting up top in the Red Bulls' first game of 2026.

Back when he was starting out, Hall was prohibited from being included in Red Bulls' matchday squads due to New Jersey child labour laws. Persons under 16 cannot working past 7pm in the Garden State.

More than a few eyebrows were raised when Hall was handed the start over ex-Paris Saint-Germain star Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, but he quickly put those nerves at ease after eight minutes. As Emil Forsberg danced around the defence and rounded the goalkeeper, Hall waited patiently for the cutback before smashing into an empty net.

It was more of the same before the interval, with Mehmeti breaking free and firing a cross towards Hall, who, despite being towards the congested near post, had done enough to distance himself from the goalkeeper before smashing it into the net to secure a 2-1 victory for the visitors.

Eligible to represent the USA or Poland, Hall wears his mother's maiden name of Zakrzewski on the back of his shirt, and naturally, idolises Robert Lewandowski.

Skilled at finding himself in the right place at the right time, Hall is a poacher with an eye for goal. Moreover, his deft first touch and body orientation allows him to squeeze past his opponents while keeping the ball glued to his feet.

At 5'10", he's still got plenty of room for his body to develop, but right now, he's very much capable of starting week in week out and delivering the goods for Michael Bradley's young, refreshing unit. He's already proven he can bang in the goals for the Red Bulls, and it's only a matter of time before he's doing the same with the US Men's National Team.