Age: 16
Postion: Attacking Midfielder, Winger
Key Stat: 6 appearances on the First Team lineup in 2024, always as an unused sub
Máximo Carrizo, the youngest-ever signing in MLS history at 14 years and 0 days old, has been in development since becoming New York City FC’s 10th Homegrown in 2022. Now three years into his professional career, the 16-year-old (who will turn 17 on February 28) finally has a good shot at receiving his First Team debut in the upcoming 2025 season.
Carrizo has featured solely for NYCFC II since making his debut on July 25, 2022. He played just 292 minutes for NYCFC II that year, but Carrizo’s role on the team grew in the following seasons. He played 869 minutes in 2023, and 1725 in 2024, when he contributed four goals and three assists in all competitions — including some important performances in NYCFC II’s unexpectedly deep run in the 2024 US Open Cup.
US Open Cup glory
Carrizo was one of the key players in the thrilling US Open Cup run made by the Baby Blues, which saw the team defeat two USL Championship sides on their way to being the last MLS NEXT Pro team remaining in the competition. Carrizo played every minute possible in the competition and scored twice, including the extra-time winner against Division II side Hartford Athletic.
Carrizo proved that he could match physicality with in-their-prime professionals, and was unafraid of the challenges of facing Hartford. Not only did he net a decisive winner with a thundering strike just inside the box, but he proved he belonged on the professional stage, holding his own in what became a very chippy game by the end.
AT JUST 16 YEARS OLD, MÁXIMO HAS ONLY GONE AND DONE IT 💫 #USOC24 pic.twitter.com/DSrNM26QQf
— New York City FC II (@newyorkcityfcii) April 18, 2024
On the field, Carrizo is a dynamic attacking midfielder who can play centrally or on the wings, and is excellent on the ball in tight spaces. He can find forward runners via intricate passes, and his combinations with Jonathan Shore, who is another academy starlet, were an exciting preview of what could be the future midfield for New York City.
Andrew Leigh
US international
If you want to better understand Carrizo’s potential, just look at his continued call-ups to the United States national youth teams.
Carrizo is eligible to play for Argentina and the US, and he made his international debut for the Argentina U-15s in 2023. Since then, Carrizo has featured regularly with the US. He is currently with the U-17 team as they attempt to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar in November 2025. He is one of 10 players to be called up to all three qualifying training camps.
In their first game since being knocked out of the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup by Germany in the Round of 16, the US dismantled the US Virgin Islands on Monday by the score of 22-0.
Carrizo was a key part of that win, contributing four goals and at least one assist (which aren’t well documented) in his 72 minutes on the field.
4 goals and 1 assist for Carrizo in 72 minutes played and it ends a 22-0 win for the United States. Think their goal differential is looking decent, as do their chances to qualify for that U-17 World Cup. Two more qualifiers to come against St. Kitts & Nevis, Cuba
— Hudson River Blue (@hudsonriverblue.com) 2025-02-11T02:51:50.934Z
The US next face St. Kitts and Nevis tonight at 8 pm ET, then Cuba on Saturday, February 15 at 8 pm ET.
Carrizo’s success with the US national teams speaks to his well-deserved reputation as being one of the brightest youth prospects in the country. When he was signed as a 14-year-old, that was understood to be potential that needed to be cultivated. Now that Carrizo is about to turn 17, we are witnessing him grow into a mature player capable of running the US midfield.
John Baney
MLS debut in 2025?
In 2024, Carrizo was named to the First Team’s lineup on multiple occasions, but he always remained on the bench.
He was on the lineup card for two regular season games in 2024, the away loss to FC Cincinnati on March 23, and the 2-2 draw with Atlanta United at Mercedes Benz Stadium. Carrizo also made the gameday roster for four of the team’s five Leagues Cup appearances.
Depending on how you look at friendlies, Carrizo’s original First Team call-up took place back in 2023, when he was in the lineup for the Noche d’Or exhibition match played against Inter Miami. He was an unused sub that night, too.
Even though former head coach Nick Cushing never elected to hand the youngster his Major League Soccer debut in 2024, his presence on the sideline was telling enough of the club’s aspirations for the player.
While the teeneager might be frustrated by getting called up to the First Team only to remain on the bench, it represents real progress. There wasn’t a lot of movement between NYCFC II and the First Team last year – just look at Taylor Calheira, who led the Baby Blues with 16 goals in all competitions but didn’t make the gameday lineup card once. The fact that Carrizo was even considered speaks to how much the team trusts him.
Looking at the upcoming 2025 season, it only makes sense to predict a First Team debut. Between his bench appearances last season, and another year of NYCFC II under his belt, Carrizo stands a good chance of being the next Homegrown to fully break through to the senior squad. After all, New York City’s most important Homegrowns received their debuts at a similar age, including Tayvon Gray (18), Justin Haak (18), Christian McFarlane (17), and James Sands (17).
But until that happens, Carrizo’s name will undoubtedly be on the NYCFC II teamsheet every week.
