MLS

Five Inter Miami CF Players Feature on 2024 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR, Diego Gómez Headlines List at No. 1

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Major League Soccer today unveiled the full 2024 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR class highlighting the best young international and domestic players across the league. This year’s class features five Inter Miami CF players - the most representatives among all MLS clubs - and is headlined by star midfielder Diego Gómez at No. 1 on the list. The players were voted on by an expert panel of MLS coaches, general managers, sporting directors, MLS Season Pass Talent, and select media.

This marks the second consecutive season that Inter Miami leads all clubs in total representatives on the 22 Under 22 list.

“This recognition is a symbol of the hard work and dedication our young players display every day as they make a mark on this team and in this league. We’re proud of all of our up-and-coming talents on this list, as well as the many others who are making a difference at Inter Miami,” said Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson. “We’re very proud of Diego for the tremendous growth he’s shown since arriving at the club and are happy to see it recognized with this special honor. He’s a game-changing player who makes everybody around him better. His dynamism paired with his effort has been crucial to the team’s success, and we are excited to see everything he will accomplish.”

2024 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR Class

Rank

Player

Club

Age

Academy(s)

1

Diego Gómez

Inter Miami CF

21

Club Libertad

2

Diego Luna

Real Salt Lake

21

Barca Residency Academy, San Jose Earthquakes

3

Jack McGlynn

Philadelphia Union

21

Philadelphia Union, BW Gottschee

4

Brian Gutiérrez

Chicago Fire FC

21

Chicago Fire FC

5

Federico Redondo

Inter Miami CF

21

Argentinos Juniors

6

Benjamin Cremaschi

Inter Miami CF

19

Inter Miami CF, Weston FC

7

Obed Vargas

Seattle Sounders FC

19

Seattle Sounders FC

8

Quinn Sullivan

Philadelphia Union

20

Philadelphia Union

9

Jalen Neal

LA Galaxy

21

LA Galaxy

10

Esmir Bajraktarević

New England Revolution

19

New England Revolution, SC Wave, Chicago Fire FC

11

Daniel Edelman

New York Red Bulls

21

New York Red Bulls, PDA

12

Tomás Avilés

Inter Miami CF

20

Atlético Boxing Club

13

Chris Brady

Chicago Fire FC

20

Chicago Fire FC

14

Nathan Saliba

CF Montréal

20

CF Montréal

15

Kevin Kelsy

FC Cincinnati

20

Mineros de Guayana

16

Julián Aude

LA Galaxy

21

Club Atlético Lanús

17

Owen Wolff

Austin FC

19

Austin FC, Atlanta United, Columbus Crew

18

Cavan Sullivan

Philadelphia Union

15

Philadelphia Union

19

David Martínez

Los Angeles Football Club

18

Monagas S.C.

20

Christian McFarlane

New York City FC

17

New York City FC

21

David Ruiz

Inter Miami CF

20

Inter Miami CF

22

Peyton Miller

New England Revolution

17

New England Revolution, Oakwood Soccer Club

Gómez tops the list amidst a stellar 2024 campaign both at the club and international levels, in which he has tallied three goals and seven assists in 18 league matches. The Paraguayan international’s rise has been recognized with the honor, as he jumps from No. 20 on the list in 2023 to No. 1 in 2024. Gómez leads all MLS players in Points per Match (2.39), with the Club unbeaten in 17 of the 18 matches he’s played (13-1-4 record), and unbeaten in his 15 starts this season (12-0-3). He also has the third-best plus-minus per 90 minutes (+1.43) in MLS for qualifying players, meaning that when Gómez has been on the field, Miami has an average goal differential of +1.43 per 90 minutes this season.

The San Juan Bautista native has also shined with La Albirroja, leading them as the Most Valuable Player and top scorer of the Conmbeol Pre-Olympic Tournament before captaining them in the 2024 Paris Olympics - registering a goal and two assists at the prestigious tournament. He has also featured for the senior squad, even scoring a stellar game-winning goal against Brazil in World Cup qualifiers.

Redondo, meanwhile, has delivered in his first MLS season after joining Inter Miami in February 2024. He has provided a boost to the team’s midfield with his accurate passing and defensive commitment, in addition to recording three goals and two assists in 16 games.

Redondo, the son of legendary midfielder Fernando Redondo, is widely considered a jewel for Argentina, and has represented the Argentine National team at the U-20 and U-23 levels. Notably, the 21-year-old midfielder made four appearances with the U-20 side at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023.

Cremaschi also returns to the 22 Under 22 list after featuring in 2023. The midfielder continues his upward trajectory as the highest-ranked 19-year-old player on the list in 2024. He has played an important role in the Club’s success, registering 21 appearances and contributing three goals and three assists in the process. The Argentine-American also became the first player in Major League Soccer to complete the full pathway from MLS NEXT, to MLS NEXT Pro, to MLS, to making his senior debut with the U.S. Men’s National Team.

The Key Biscayne, Fla. native also continued his streak of making firsts for the Club in 2024, becoming the first Inter Miami Academy product to appear at the Olympics, where he was the youngest player on the U.S. Olympic squad (still age-eligible for the 2028 Olympics in LA). Previously Cremaschi was just the fifth Inter Miami Academy product to sign a Homegrown deal with the First Team, and he registered an assist in his first start for the First Team in 2023, becoming the youngest Inter Miami player to register an assist and first Academy product to register a First Team assist.

Avilés finds himself on the 22 Under 22 list for the first time in 2024 after becoming a mainstay in the Inter Miami defense this season. The young Argentine is the second-highest ranked defender on the list, and the third-youngest defender in the top 22 at only 20 years old.

The Rio Gallegos, Argentina native ranks ninth among MLS defenders in successful passes this year, proving to be an important piece to the Club’s possession-oriented style of play. The 20-year-old defender has registered 26 appearances in MLS this season, 25 of them starts, recording one assist from his center back position.

Ruiz also lands on the 22 Under 22 list for the first time, showcasing continued growth for the young Inter Miami Academy product. The Honduran-American Inter Miami CF Homegrown has registered 28 MLS appearances for the Club in 2024, adding one goal and three assists in the process. The midfielder, who grew up in the South Florida neighborhood of Little Havana, is one of 10 Academy products in Inter Miami CF history to earn First Team contracts.

The 20 year old is also a young standout for Honduras at the international level, and has represented La H on numerous occasions after his senior debut in 2023. Ruiz scored for Los Catrachos in the country’s most recent international matches in September, netting against Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, respectively.

To be eligible for voting players had to remain 21 or younger before Decision Day on October 19, and therefore must have been born after October 20, 2002. The all-time 22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR winners are below. NOTE: prior to 2018, the list was known as the 24 Under 24.

22 Under 22 presented by BODYARMOR Winners

Year

Player

Club

Current Club

2024

Diego Gómez

Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami CF

2023

Alan Velasco

FC Dallas

FC Dallas

2022

Jesús Ferreira

FC Dallas

FC Dallas

2021

Ricardo Pepi

FC Dallas

PSV (NED)

2020

Brenden Aaronson

Philadelphia Union

Leeds United (ENG)

2019

Diego Rossi

Los Angeles Football Club

Columbus Crew

2018

Alphonso Davies

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Bayern Munich (GER)

2017

Miguel Almiron

Atlanta United

Newcastle United (ENG)

2016

Cyle Larin

Orlando City SC

Mallorca (ESP)

2015

Fabián Castillo

FC Dallas

Deportivo Cali (COL)

2014

DeAndre Yedlin

Seattle Sounders FC

FC Cincinnati

2013

Darlington Nagbe

Portland Timbers

Columbus Crew

2012

Darren Mattocks

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

N/A

2011

Brek Shea

FC Dallas

N/A

2010

Fredy Montero

Seattle Sounders FC

Deportivo Cali (COL)