Red Bulls Coach Bradley Follows in Father's Footsteps with Young Talent

New York Red Bulls head coach Michael Bradley starts three players under 18 in MLS debut, mirroring his father Bob's approach years ago.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In his first game as New York Red Bulls head coach, Michael Bradley made MLS history by starting three players under the age of 18 - 16-year-old midfielder Adri Mehmeti, 17-year-old left back Matthew Dos Santos, and 17-year-old forward Julian Hall. This move echoes the strategy of Michael's father, Bob Bradley, who as MetroStars coach in 2003 gave early playing time to young talents like Ricardo Clark, Mike Magee, and Eddie Gaven, who went on to have productive MLS careers.

Why it matters

The Bradley family has a history of developing young talent, with both father Bob and now son Michael giving opportunities to teenagers in their first professional minutes. This approach bucks the trend of many MLS teams favoring experienced veterans, and could pay dividends if the young Red Bulls players follow in the footsteps of "The Three Amigos" from the early 2000s.

The details

In his Red Bulls debut, 17-year-old forward Julian Hall scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Orlando City SC. The other two teenage starters, 16-year-old midfielder Adri Mehmeti and 17-year-old left back Matthew Dos Santos, also impressed in their MLS debuts. Prior to the match, the Red Bulls announced they had loaned Dos Santos from their MLS NEXT Pro team, indicating the club's commitment to integrating young talent.

  • On Saturday, February 22, 2026, the New York Red Bulls became the first MLS team to start three players under 18 in their starting lineup.
  • In 2003, when Bob Bradley was head coach of the MetroStars, he gave early playing time to young talents Ricardo Clark, Mike Magee, and Eddie Gaven.

The players

Michael Bradley

The current head coach of the New York Red Bulls, following in the footsteps of his father Bob Bradley who also gave young players opportunities early in their careers.

Bob Bradley

The former head coach of the MetroStars (now the New York Red Bulls) who in 2003 drafted and played young talents like Ricardo Clark, Mike Magee, and Eddie Gaven.

Adri Mehmeti

A 16-year-old midfielder who made his MLS debut in the Red Bulls' starting lineup.

Matthew Dos Santos

A 17-year-old left back who made his MLS debut in the Red Bulls' starting lineup after being loaned from the club's MLS NEXT Pro team.

Julian Hall

A 17-year-old forward who scored both goals in the Red Bulls' 2-1 win over Orlando City SC in his MLS debut.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Julian is a really talented young player. I think sometimes it's easy to forget how young he still is because he's been a professional for a few years, but he has really, really big qualities. We've got to keep pushing him so that he can take the next step. Tonight was a really good start for him. He had a really good preseason. We were all really excited for him, that he could take the good preseason and turn it into really strong performance right away.”

— Michael Bradley, Head Coach, New York Red Bulls (Forbes)

“Mattie is a is another really, really talented young player. We know how good he is, what a good kid he is. I got to see all of that up close when I came into the second team last year.”

— Michael Bradley, Head Coach, New York Red Bulls (Forbes)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game highlights the Bradley family's commitment to developing young talent, a strategy that has paid dividends in the past and could lead to the emergence of the next generation of MLS stars if the teenage Red Bulls trio can follow in the footsteps of "The Three Amigos" from the early 2000s.