LA Galaxy Academy players don’t have to look far for inspiration.
Academy alumni Julian Araujo signed for FC Barcelona from the Galaxy in 2023. Former Academy player Haji Wright made his second United States Men’s National Team World Cup roster. And multiple LA Galaxy Academy products get first-team minutes.
Harbor Miller, Ruben Ramos Jr., and the recently transferred Mauricio Cuevas are three academy products to make their way to the first team in recent years. Cuevas’ move to Santos Laguna in Mexico and Dylan Vanney’s loan to Real Betis in Spain follow the likes of Efrain Alvarez, who stars for Chivas, former US international Gyasi Zardes, Ryan Hartley at Parma in Italy, and Mathis Albert at Borussia Dortmund in Germany as success stories from the LA Galaxy Academy playing at the world’s highest levels.
“We are encouraged and motivated by the trust and investment that the club has placed in our second team environment, which provides a professional environment within our pathway,” LA Galaxy Academy Director Tyson Wahl said. “Our Academy players are earning frequent opportunities at this more challenging level that has a higher level of resistance, which is critical for their development.”
As full-time students in the classroom and on the fields at Dignity Health Sports Park, LA Galaxy Academy players become professional both on and off the field through habitual training, consistent work between coaches and players, and integrated systems from the first team down to the youngest academy age group. Differing from the widespread pay-to-play system in the US, the LA Galaxy Academy covers expenses for its players. From U-13 to U-18, LA Galaxy Academy players learn what it means to be a professional.
And for many Academy players, the jump to playing professional soccer comes sooner than it used to.
With MLS NEXT Pro, the Galaxy reserve team has managed to field a majority-academy roster this season. The league, in the third-division of US Soccer’s professional pyramid, has given Under-18 players a chance to get a taste of professional play. In some games, the second team has fielded academy products or current players for all 10 outfield positions, with more on the bench ready to sub in.
A major help when making the ascent to professional play is the integration of style of play from the first team all the way down to the U-13s.
“If you watch our U-13 team and you watch our U-18 team, right away you will know that is a Galaxy team,” U-18 Head Coach Jean-Pierre Mujica said. “The style of play is very consistent throughout all the different age groups.” And that’s intentional.
That style of play helps with the transitions to higher levels, making it easier for the likes of Miller, Ramos Jr., and others to integrate themselves into the first team when they get their chance.
“We try and play a certain way that bridges the gap from Jean-Pierre's team into the first team,” second team Head Coach Matt Taylor said. “What you do down there isn’t going to necessarily translate one to one. There are skillsets that you have that transition into the next level and hopefully into the next level. I think that’s kind of our jobs — building the foundation and turning that foundation into a player that can eventually play here or move them on externally where they have opportunities to play professional soccer.”
Pace of play, physicality, strength of the opponent, and many other elements make the young core of players feel the leap to professional play. But through the experience, many grow accustomed to the level, and bring back the newfound level of play to the Academy when some return to their age groups.
“We’re trying to provide an opportunity for them to grow,” Taylor said. “We’re going to make mistakes, but can we continue to do the little things right that from week one to week 30 that they’re going to be a lot better players and put themselves in a position to compete. I feel like the adaptation is coming along but it’s a process.”
The work for players to advance from the academy to the professional levels within the LA Galaxy organization begins early. Players are identified as having high potential to become professional players and go through Individual Development Plans (IDPs), which include player-led incremental goal settings, training plans, video sessions, extra training sessions when needed, and check ins every six to eight weeks.
“We want the players to take responsibility for their development,” Mujica said. “At U-18, they need to understand that. At U-15 or U-16 they need some structure but at the U-18 these players are very close to the first team and second team, so this has to come from them. We give them the framework and it’s up to them how much time they want to put into it.”
In 2025, the U-19 side won MLS NEXT Cup, capping off three straight years of winning the title for the age group.
Many Academy graduates earn scholarships to play at universities across the country and continue their playing career. This provides another pathway for young players, including Academy graduates, to professional levels. LA Galaxy forward Troy Elgersma, who scored his first goal for the first team against St. Louis CITY SC on July 22, initially signed a deal with the second team after going undrafted out of American University.
Seeing Academy graduates and former second team players get their shots with the first team is the cherry on top for the developmental program.
“Some of our fun memories are when we’re on the road and finish our game and flick the first team game on right away and the whole team’s watching,” Taylor said. “We’re fans, we’re advocates, and we just want to support them along the journey. That’s proof of concept. It’s the real greatest joy of our job is seeing them go on and make the next step.”
