The start of the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League is just around the corner in which 16 teams will be pursuing the dream of being crowned club champions of Concacaf.
The SCCL is renown for being a tournament in which young stars burst on the scene and parlay great performances into major roles. Here are 16 young players to watch in the 2023 edition.
Carlos Mejia, Motagua: Mejia has tasted life in Concacaf club competition, having scored a goal in four games in Motagua’s runner-up finish in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf League. The left-sided attacker is a budding star for the Honduran club at age 23.
Jeremy Marquez, Atlas: The midfielder may only be 22, but he is a regular fixture for the Guadalajara club and has reached over 100 first team appearances, including during Atlas’ title campaigns in the 2021 Apertura and 2022 Clausura in Liga MX.
Jack McGlynn, Philadelphia Union: McGlynn is already a Concacaf champion, having been part of the United States team that captured the 2022 Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship in Honduras, where he scored two goals in seven games. The 19-year-old MF also appeared in three games during Philadelphia’s 2021 SCCL campaign.
Aaron Suarez, Alajuelense: The sky is the limit for Suarez, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder for Costa Rican club Alajuelense, with whom he scored in the Final of the 2022 SCL. He finished that tournament with three goals in nine games and has appeared in 82 league games, with 14 goals.
Fidel Ambriz, Club Leon: Ambriz plays well beyond his 19 years in his defensive midfielder role with Club Leon. He has over 50 first team league appearances and scored a goal in four SCCL games with La Fiera last season.
Sebastian Fierro, Tigres: The 21-year-old MF is considered one of the rising stars in the Tigres system and many signs point toward him making his first team debut during the 2023 SCCL. Fans got a glimpse of his ability when he scored from distance in late December in a preseason match versus Santos Laguna.
Owen Wolff, Austin FC: Wolff made his MLS debut in 2021 and then quickly became an important piece of the Texan team during the 2022 season in which he played in 24 games, 11 as a starter. Son of Austin FC Head Coach Josh Wolff, Owen is an 18-year-old with sound technical skills and a great first touch.
Steevenson Jeudy, Violette AC: Jeudy may only be 18, but he has already accomplished a lot in Concacaf. The midfielder won the Best Young Player Award at the 2022 Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship where he scored two semifinal goals in Violette’s 3-1 win over Waterhouse of Jamaica. He then tallied five goals in the 2022 Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship for Haiti.
Moises Veliz, Tauro: The 18-year-old attacking midfielder made his first team debut back in 2021 and since then has earned six appearances with the Panamanian club, including three matches in 2023.
Cesar Araujo, Orlando City: The 21-year-old plays like a savvy veteran in the Orlando City midfield, with 31 starts made during the 2022 MLS season. He also played a key role in Orlando City’s 2022 US Open Cup conquest, with two goals in six games.
Bryan Gonzalez, Pachuca: Gonzalez has posted impressive numbers despite being just 19. The MF has accumulated more than 1,000 minutes of action in Liga MX and has been a mainstay at the Youth National Team level for Mexico. Gonzalez had two goals in five games at the 2019 Concacaf Men’s Under-17 Championship and two goals in five games at last summer’s CMU20. He was also on the Mexico team that reached the Final of the FIFA 2019 U17 Men’s World Cup, playing in seven games and scoring a goal.
Matteo Campagna, Vancouver Whitecaps: The British Columbia club has a long history of producing great young talent and Campagna might be the next one in line. The 18-year-old DF is poised to make his MLS debut in 2023 and could well see ample time in the SCCL. He started all four games for Canada in the 2022 CMU20.
Marco Aceituno, Real Espana: The 19-year-old attacker has the make-up to become one of the next great strikers in Honduran football. He already has three league goals to his name and was a venerable force for Honduras at the 2022 CMU20, scoring six goals to earn Best XI honors.
Kwadwo Opoku, Los Angeles FC: The 21-year-old Ghanaian is well-acquainted with the SCCL having scored the winning goal for LAFC in the 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Cruz Azul in the 2020 SCCL. His big season came in 2022 when he appeared in 34 games, 20 as a starter, scoring seven goals and tallying three assists.
Jafet Nunez, Olimpia: The SCCL has long been a place where young Olimpia players make a name for themselves and Nunez might be the next. The 19-year-old FW made his league debut in 2022 and also played in five matches at the 2022 CMU20.
Emerson Mauricio, Alianza: The 20-year-old FW knows what it is like to score in Concacaf club competition, having found the back of the net for the Albos in the 2022 SCL. Mauricio notched three goals as well for Alianza in 2022.
