2023 Preseason: Meet the Academy Players on Tour

January 13, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – New York City FC News Release

New York City Football Club have kicked off the 2023 campaign with a Preseason trip to Orlando, Florida.

A total of 31 players have made the roster, including six from our Academy and NYCFC II squads.

Learn more about our young stars, as we catch up with NYCFC II Head Coach Matt Pilkington…

NAME: Alex Rando

DOB: April 15, 2001 (21)

POSITION: Goalkeeper

A New York native, Rando featured in the original NYCFC U-14 Academy team back in 2015 and went on to lift back-to-back US Development Academy National Championships with the U-19s. He also claimed the 2019 Golden Glove award, and was named in the 2017 Generation Adidas Cup Championship Team.

Though his collegiate career was sadly hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, he impressed with USL Championship club Las Vegas Lights before re-joining NYCFC for our maiden MLS NEXT Pro campaign. The Manhattan-born shot-stopper started 18 games in total, earning the second-highest number of minutes for a goalkeeper in the league, keeping five clean sheets. In August 2022, he was invited to represent NYCFC at the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge.

MATT PILKINGTON: “Alex spent a lot of time training with the First-Team last year and adapted well to that experience. He’s a player that came through our Academy, and was one of the goalkeepers on our Youth National Championship-winning teams. He had a really good season with us and developed on and off the field. He’s someone who will go in to support the goalkeepers and be ready to contribute to the environment, and also act as a mentor for the Academy goalkeeper.”

NAME: Alexander Yagudayev

DOB: August 13, 2006 (16)

POSITION: Goalkeeper

Yagudayev was also named in the 2022 Preseason roster and continues to make a name for himself as a bright young prospect. Despite his tender years, he is a highly-regarded shot-stopper with excellent distribution and a commanding presence. He produced notable displays in the Generation Adidas Cup last year, dramatically saving an injury-time penalty against Charlotte FC to send NYCFC through to the quarter-finals.

MATT PILKINGTON: “Alexander is a player that has come through our Academy from the youngest age, so he’s been with us all the way through. He’s continued to progress and he’s matured a lot over the past year. We’re hoping this will be a great opportunity for him to continue to learn and develop within the First Team environment.”

NAME: Klevis Haxhari

DOB: May 1, 2005…