Exciting 16-year-old Red Bulls Academy Product, Tanner Rosborough Finds his Stride

This season, Red Bulls Academy Product Tanner Rosborough has begun to find his stride in the league known as MLS NEXT Pro. MLS NEXT Pro is one step below Major League Soccer and with every coming week its looking like Rosborough its becoming more likely that Rosborough will make his MLS debut.

The 16-year-old scored his first professional goal on June 30 against Columbus Crew II and since then has five goals in his last five matches. His roots however go back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he grew up a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins National Hockey League (NHL) team. But since then becoming a professional athlete just like his idols of soccer and hockey has taken up his time.

Rosborough described what his first exposure to the game of soccer was.

“Probably when I was super young like three. I used to play in the backyard with my brother and his older friends all the time so kind of just grew up in that environment and I’ve just loved it from day one.” – New York Red Bulls II midfielder, Tanner Rosborough

In western Pennsylvania, Rosborough played for Beadling Soccer Club, “the oldest continuously operating soccer club in the country.” His time with Beadling spanned the biggest period of development in his career, from age four all the way up until 14. Rosborough described his memories of playing for Beadling and how important that experience was for his development.

“Played for Beadling my whole life and played with the same group of guys the whole time. So, those are some of my closest friends. Just moved through a bunch of different leagues. NAL [National Academy League] and MLS NEXT with Beadling of course which is where I ended up getting scouted from and that was basically how it went up until I joined Red Bulls at 14.”

Rosborough played a year for Beadling in MLS NEXT (a different league from MLS NEXT Pro) before joining the Red Bulls Academy’s U15 team in September 2022. Rosborough made the adjustment to MLS NEXT seamlessly, becoming one of the top goal-scorers during the regular season, but he discussed some of the early growing pains he had.

“It’s so different going from my old club to here because like the standards and everything here are so much more professional. It’s a quick adjustment but it’s a difficult one… just mentally, you have to find your confidence once you make that switch into such a big club and I think that was probably the hardest part for me. But once I found that and you know it all started to click.”

He made big strides after that, making his professional debut with the New York Red Bulls II on April 21, 2023 against the New England Revolution II. He also played for the U15 Red Bull Academy team in MLS NEXT and scored the winning goal in the MLS NEXT Cup final in June 2023.

“It was surreal honestly. I was in such shock when I scored like I couldn’t even think in that moment. I just sprinted to the corner because I didn’t even know what to do.”

Rosborough has earned caps for the U.S. youth national team, which included a campaign where he scored two goals in six matches en route to the U15 CONCACAF Championship. As of September 2023, Rosborough has been signed to an MLS homegrown contract which will kick in during the 2025 season and run until 2028. Rosborough has gotten a contract because he’s adapted to the Red Bulls style of play better than most do at his age. Here is what Rosborough had to say about the Red Bull Style of play:

“I’d say I think I’ve adjusted to it quite well. At first it was a bit of a struggle because it’s an unique style of play. So, it’s different, it’s difficult, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very, very positive.”

One of Rosborough’s more obscure attributes—but no less important—is that he’s coachable and he discussed the positive relationship he’s formed with Red Bulls II Head Coach Ibrahim Sekagya.

“I’d say it’s pretty good, you know, joke around sometimes but when its time to be serious, you got to be serious. I think he focuses on me a lot when he’s coaching, I think he constantly wants me to be better so I’m very appreciative of that.”

Next Rosborough talked about one of the older Red Bulls II players who has taken him under their wing.

“Our captain Dylan [Sullivan has] been a big influential person for me on the team because he’s just really supportive of me. He has a very high work-rate so that kind of starts to make me want to just work for him, so yeah he’s been an important role model for me.”

The rapport between coach Sekagya and Rosborough has started to pay dividends for the Red Bulls II. The Pittsburgh-native scored his first professional goal on June 30 and he reflected on what that moment was like: “In the moment, I didn’t really know what to do. I was going to run to the corner but then I realized we were still 2-1 down so had to get the ball quickly and run back but I mean it felt great…that was like a barrier almost and I finally broke through so it felt amazing.”

Speaking of breaking barriers, Rosborough is teammates with fellow 16-year-old Julian Hall. Last season, Hall became the second-youngest player in MLS History to debut in the league at 15 years and 190 days. The two are very close and Rosborough shed some light on how their friendship formed.

“When I first joined Red Bulls, we went on a trip out of the country together and instantly we just clicked and became good friends. Ever since then, we just became very close. Were always hanging out, always with each other so he’s one of the closest guys on the team.”

As far as the next step for Rosborough, the youngster wants to make his MLS debut. If he did later this year, he would rank in the top 20 of youngest players to make their debut at over 16 years and 120 days. This is a dream that is not far off for this young player and one that he’s working hard every day to achieve.

“Hopefully, I can keep scoring, keep helping the team. Eventually, make the playoffs, win playoffs and then of course I want to make my first team debut, as well so hoping to make that happen.”