It’s that time of year again when MLS releases their list of the best 22 players under the age of 22. Once again FC Dallas is all over the rankings. Here are the FC Dallas players in Part One of the list.
21 – Tanner Tessmann
Who would have seen this coming at the start of the year? Tanner maybe, not sure anyone else did. A year ago at the time, he was playing for North Texas SC in the 2019 USL-1 Final as an Academy player.
Tessmann was already a household name in American soccer circles and beyond, even before kicking his first ball in MLS. The 19-year-old was famously recruited by Dabo Swinney and Clemson to play football before turning it down to sign a Homegrown deal with FC Dallas. That decision has already proved to have been a shrewd one, with the physically robust Tessmann showcasing his defensive awareness and fine passing range at the heart of the Dallas midfield.
MLS 22 Under 22
18 – Bryan Reynolds
Big Bad Bryan has finally arrived on the scene. This is something we’ve been waiting on for a long time but Reggie Cannon was in the way. In a month and a half (10 games) he’s gone from a big question mark in many people minds – although not ours – to one of the most imporatnt players in the team.
FC Dallas could afford to transfer Reggie Cannon because they had Reynolds in the wings — every bit the now-Boavista man’s equal as an elite right-back prospect. There’s a reason the club recently signed the 19-year-old to a new four-year deal. He’s the future … and like Cannon, he is likely to be the subject of European interest, too.
MLS 22 Under 22
16 – Jesus Ferreira
He’s having a down year, but Ferreira is still a big time prospect with, we believe, a big future.
After finishing at No. 9 in the 22 Under 22 rankings last year, Ferreira drops down seven spots due to a quiet 2020 season so far. After 14 combined goals and assists in 2019, the FCD forward has just two this year. A bit of a tweener, Ferreira needs to prove he can be a consistent force to win back a regular spot in Luchi Gonzalez’s attacking front four.
MLS 22 Under 22
Stay tuned as the 22 Under 22 list continues this week.