Red Bull teen prodigy Juan Agudelo was added to the 2011 MLS All-Star team by league commissioner Don Garber. The all-stars will face Champions League finalist and EPL champ Manchester United on July 27 at Red Bull Arena (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Galavisión).
Agudelo joins Red Bulls teammates Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and Tim Ream, who were all voted to the MLS First XI, and Red Bull manager Hans Backe, who will coach the team.
“Juan Agudelo is one of the bright young stars in Major League Soccer and a prime example of the benefits of the MLS Homegrown player initiative and our focus on MLS club academies,” Garber said. “Juan also is one of the most promising young U.S. national team players and competing against one of the best clubs in the world is an important part of his development.”
The 18-year-old Agudelo emerged at the end of last season, and has quickly become one of the most exciting young forwards in the league and the entire U.S. National Team pipeline. He moved from Colombia to New Jersey at eight and after joining the Red Bull Academy, became the first MLS Homegrown player named to an MLS All-Star team or the U.S. National Team.
He has scored four goals in 14 appearances for the league’s highest-scoring team, but has largely been on the bench behind French superstar Thierry Henry and English import Luke Rodgers when the latter is healthy. But while he doesn’t start for club, he often starts for country, with two goals and 10 caps with the U.S. National Team since last year’s Nov. 17 debut.
Kansas City’s Omar Bravo was also named to the team.