Generation Adidas
Founded 1997; 29 years ago(1997)
Headquarters United States
Area served United States
Products Recruitement of soccer players Generation Adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young professional soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by Adidas , offers professional-ready players in the U.S. developmental system not yet eligible for the MLS SuperDraft early entry, allowing MLS to compete with foreign professional clubs without comparable restrictions on player signing. From its establishment in 1997 to 2005, the program was sponsored by Nike and was called Project-40 . Originally intended to improve the U.S. national team player pool, American national team eligibility is no longer required for program entry.
Carlos Parra was the first Project-40 player when he signed with the league and was allocated to the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in 1997. Since then, the program has included players such as Tim Howard , DaMarcus Beasley , Maurice Edu , Carlos Bocanegra , Clint Dempsey , Jozy Altidore , Ben Olsen , Sacha Kljestan , Freddy Adu , Brad Guzan , Michael Bradley , Nick Rimando , Kyle Beckerman , and NFL kicker Josh Lambo .
Generation Adidas players do not count against the MLS senior roster and usually earn a much higher salary than the league minimum. Entering into the program automatically classifies a player as professional , and thus disqualifies them from playing college soccer. As a result, Generation Adidas players are also guaranteed scholarships to continue their college education should they end their professional career early.
From 1998 to 2000, MLS entered a team of Project-40 players, supplemented by other MLS players who did not get much playing time, into the A-League in the USL .
In 2017, MLS introduced Canadian Generation Adidas players, part of a new initiative with the Canadian Soccer Association . Canadian Generation Adidas players count as domestic players on US based MLS teams.
Players 1997 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Assigned team United States Ubusuku Abukusumo 19 D Albuquerque, NM North Carolina State Columbus Crew United States Jose Botello 20 M Los Angeles, CA East Los Angeles College Los Angeles Galaxy Brazil Nino Da Silva 17 M Hoffman Estates, IL Kansas City Wizards United States Joey DiGiamarino 19 D Corona, CA Cal State Fullerton Colorado Rapids United States Brian Dunseth 19 D Upland, CA Cal State Fullerton New England Revolution United States Carlos Parra 19 M West Haven, CT MetroStars United States Eric Quill 18 F Missouri City, TX Clemson Tampa Bay Mutiny United States Esmundo Rodriguez 19 M Dallas, TX Indiana San Jose Clash United States Tim Sahaydak 19 D Bethlehem, PA North Carolina Columbus Crew United States Juan Sastoque 19 F Brooklyn, NY CSUN Dallas Burn
1998 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Assigned team United States Jamar Beasley 18 F Fort Wayne, IN New England Revolution United States Judah Cooks 21 M Bethesda, MD Maryland D.C. United United States Tim Howard 18 GK North Brunswick, NJ MetroStars United States Andy Kirk 20 GK Milwaukee, WI Maryland San Jose Clash United States Chad McCarty 20 D Clovis, CA Washington Tampa Bay Mutiny United States Matt Napoleon 20 GK Feasterville, PA Columbia Miami Fusion United States Ben Olsen 20 M/F Middletown, PA Virginia D.C. United Trinidad and Tobago Barry Swift 20 F Port-of-Spain, Trinidad MetroStars United States Scott Vermillion 21 D Olathe, KS Virginia Tampa Bay Mutiny United States Brian West 19 F Columbia, MD Virginia Columbus Crew United States Josh Wolff 20 F Stone Mountain, GA South Carolina Chicago Fire
1999 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Assigned team United States Chris Albright 20 F Philadelphia, PA Virginia D.C. United United States DaMarcus Beasley 16 M Fort Wayne, IN Bradenton Academy Los Angeles Galaxy United States Scott Bower 20 F/M Tampa, FL Clemson San Jose Earthquakes Ukraine Sergi Daniv 23 M Lviv , Ukraine Wake Forest Chicago Fire United States Francisco Gomez 19 M Watsonville, CA California Jaguars Kansas City Wizards United States Michael Green 20 D Columbia, MD Virginia Kansas City Wizards Ukraine Dema Kovalenko 21 M Rochester, NY Indiana Chicago Fire Serbia Alen Kozić 22 D/M Tampa, FL Florida International Miami Fusion United States Matt Nyman 22 G Westbrook, CT Dartmouth Tampa Bay Mutiny United States Antonio Otero 21 M Tampa, FL American D.C. United El Salvador Marvin Quijano 19 F North Hollywood, CA Rio Hondo Comm College Los Angeles Galaxy Bolivia Maurizio Rocha 22 M Santa Cruz , Bolivia Connecticut Miami Fusion United States Scott Vallow 21 GK Naperville, IL Bowling Green Dallas Burn
2000 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team Palestine Shaker Asad 20 M Raleigh, NC North Carolina State New England Revolution United States Kyle Beckerman 17 M Crofton, MD US Under-17 Miami Fusion United States Carlos Bocanegra 20 D Alta Loma, CA UCLA Chicago Fire United States Danny Califf 19 D Orange, CA Maryland Los Angeles Galaxy United States Bobby Convey 16 M Philadelphia, PA Bradenton Academy D.C. United United States Micah Cooks 18 M Washington, DC D.C. United United States Nick Garcia 20 D Plano, TX Indiana Kansas City Wizards United States Mario Longo 19 M Apex, NC Columbus Crew United States Rusty Pierce 20 D The Woodlands, TX UNC Greensboro New England Revolution United States Nick Rimando 20 GK Montclair, CA UCLA Miami Fusion United States Seth Trembly 17 M Littleton, CO Bradenton Academy Colorado Rapids Bolivia Sergio Salas 18 F Falls Church, VA D.C. United
2001 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States Devin Barclay 17 F Annapolis, MD US Under-20 Tampa Bay Mutiny United States Isaias Bardales 21 F San Jose, CA San Jose State Los Angeles Galaxy United States Edson Buddle 19 F New Rochelle, NY State Fair Community College Columbus Crew United States Jose Aparicio Sanchez Jr.16 F Houston, TX San Jose Earthquakes United States José Burciaga Jr. 19 D Duncanville, TX US Under-20 Kansas City Wizards United States Chris Carrieri 20 F Stafford, VA North Carolina San Jose Earthquakes United States D.J. Countess 19 GK Sacramento, CA UCLA MetroStars United States Nick Downing 20 D Redmond, WA Maryland New England Revolution United States Eddie Johnson 16 F Palm Coast, FL Bradenton Academy Dallas Burn Ecuador Martin Klinger 20 F Kearny, NJ MetroStars Black MetroStars United States Santino Quaranta 16 F Baltimore, MD Bradenton Academy D.C. United United States Miguel Saavedra 17 M Milwaukee, WI US Under-18 Dallas Burn
2002 2003 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team El Salvador Arturo Alvarez 17 F/M Houston, TX US Under-17 San Jose Earthquakes United States Brian Carroll 21 M Fairfax, VA Wake Forest D.C. United United States Ricardo Clark 19 M Jonesboro, GA Furman MetroStars United States Alecko Eskandarian 20 F Montvale, NJ Virginia D.C. United United States Eddie Gaven 16 M Hamilton, NJ Bradenton Academy MetroStars United States Guillermo Gonzalez 16 M Paramount, CA Bradenton Academy Los Angeles Galaxy United States Nate Jaqua 21 F Eugene, OR Portland Chicago Fire United States Jacob LeBlanc 21 M Palo Alto, VA Virginia MetroStars United States Ricky Lewis 20 D Spring, TX Clemson Los Angeles Galaxy United States Mike Magee 18 F/M South Barrington, IL Bradenton Academy MetroStars United States Logan Pause 21 D Hillsborough, NC North Carolina Chicago Fire United States David Stokes 20 D Dumfries, VA North Carolina D.C. United United States Jason Thompson 21 F Garland, TX Eastern Illinois Dallas Burn
2004 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States Freddy Adu 14 M Potomac, MD US Under-17 D.C. United United States Michael Bradley 16 M Palatine, IL US Under-17 MetroStars United States Ryan Cochrane 20 D Portland, OR Santa Clara San Jose Earthquakes United States Steve Cronin 20 GK Sacramento, CA Santa Clara San Jose Earthquakes United States Clint Dempsey 20 M Nacogdoches, TX Furman New England Revolution United States Josh Gardner 21 M Houston, TX Cincinnati Los Angeles Galaxy United States Clarence Goodson 21 D Springfield, VA Maryland Dallas Burn United States Ned Grabavoy 20 M New Lenox, IL Indiana Los Angeles Galaxy United States Chad Marshall 19 D Riverside, CA Stanford Columbus Crew United States Danny Szetela 16 M Clifton, NJ US Under-17 Columbus Crew
2005 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States Chad Barrett 19 F Beaverton, OR UCLA Chicago Fire United States Nikolas Besagno 16 M Maple Valley, WA US Under-17 Real Salt Lake United States Hunter Freeman 20 D Allen, TX Virginia Colorado Rapids United States Brad Guzan 20 GK Homer Glen, IL South Carolina Chivas USA United States Christian Jimenez 18 M San Dimas, CA US Under-20 Chivas USA United States Will John 19 F Kansas City, MO Saint Louis Chicago Fire United States Quavas Kirk 16 F Aurora, IL US Under-17 Los Angeles Galaxy United States Drew Moor 20 D Dallas, TX Indiana FC Dallas United States Michael Parkhurst 20 D Cranston, RI Wake Forest New England Revolution United States Ryan Pore 21 F Mansfield, OH Tulsa Kansas City Wizards United States Tim Ward 17 D Waukesha, WI Saint Louis MetroStars United States Jamie Watson 18 F Dallas, TX North Carolina Real Salt Lake
2006 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States Jozy Altidore 16 F Boca Raton, FL IMG Soccer Academy MetroStars Armenia Yura Movsisyan 18 F Pasadena, CA Pasadena Kansas City Wizards United States David Arvizu17 F Santa Ana, CA US Under-20 MetroStars United States Patrick Ianni 20 D/M Lodi, CA UCLA Houston Dynamo Sierra Leone Kei Kamara 21 F Lawndale, CA Cal State Dominguez Hills Columbus Crew United States Sacha Kljestan 20 M Huntington Beach, CA Seton Hall Chivas USA United States Dax McCarty 18 M Winter Park, FL North Carolina FC Dallas United States Jacob Peterson 19 F Portage, MI Indiana Colorado Rapids Guatemala Willie Sims 21 F Los Angeles, CA Cal State Northridge New England Revolution United States Nathan Sturgis 18 D/M St. Augustine, FL Clemson Los Angeles Galaxy United States Blake Wagner 17 D Tampa, FL US Under-20 FC Dallas United States Marvell Wynne 19 D Poway, CA UCLA MetroStars United States Jed Zayner 21 D Orland Park, IL Indiana Columbus Crew
2007 2008 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States Eric Avila 20 M San Diego, CA UC Santa Barbara FC Dallas United States Tony Beltran 20 D/M Claremont, CA UCLA Real Salt Lake Honduras Roger Espinoza 21 M Aurora, CO Ohio State Kansas City Wizards United States Josh Lambo 17 GK Middleton, WI US Under-17 FC Dallas United States Chance Myers 20 D/M Thousand Oaks, CA UCLA Kansas City Wizards United States Alex Nimo 17 F/M Portland, OR US Under-17 Real Salt Lake Ghana Patrick Nyarko 22 F Kumasi, Ghana Virginia Tech Chicago Fire United States Ciaran O'Brien 20 M Tacoma, WA UC Santa Barbara Colorado Rapids United States Brek Shea 17 M/D College Station, TX US Under-17 FC Dallas United States Rob Valentino 22 D Cave Creek, AZ San Francisco New England Revolution
2009 2010 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States Corben Bone 21 M Plano, TX Wake Forest Chicago Fire United States Teal Bunbury 19 F Prior Lake, MN Akron Kansas City Wizards United States Dilly Duka 20 M Montville, NJ Rutgers Columbus Crew United States Blair Gavin 20 M Louisville, KY Akron Chivas USA United States Luis Gil 16 M Garden Grove, CA US Under-17 Kansas City Wizards United States Zachary Herold17 D Port St. Lucie, FL US Under-17 Toronto FC United States Sean Johnson 20 GK Lilburn, GA UCF Chicago Fire United States Jack McInerney 17 F Alpharetta, GA US Under-17 Philadelphia Union Democratic Republic of the Congo Danny Mwanga 18 F Kinshasa , DR Congo Oregon State Philadelphia Union United States Amobi Okugo 18 M Sacramento, CA UCLA Philadelphia Union United States Ike Opara 20 D Durham, NC Wake Forest San Jose Earthquakes Cameroon Tony Tchani 20 M Norfolk, VA Virginia New York Red Bulls United States Andrew Wiedeman 20 F San Ramon, CA California FC Dallas
2011 Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States David Bingham 21 GK Castro Valley, CA California San Jose Earthquakes United States Will Bruin 21 F St. Louis, MO Indiana Houston Dynamo United States Corey Hertzog 20 F Reading, PA Penn State New York Red Bulls United States Perry Kitchen 18 M Indianapolis, IN Akron D.C. United United States Zac MacMath 19 GK St. Petersburg, FL Maryland Philadelphia Union United States Darlington Nagbe 20 M Lakewood, OH Akron Portland Timbers United States Michael Nanchoff 22 M North Royalton, OH Akron Vancouver Whitecaps FC United States Omar Salgado 17 F El Paso, TX US Under-20 Vancouver Whitecaps FC United States Kofi Sarkodie 19 D Huber Heights, OH Akron Houston Dynamo Ghana Michael Tetteh 21 D Accra, Ghana UC Santa Barbara Seattle Sounders FC United States Zarek Valentin 19 D Lancaster, PA Akron Chivas USA
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 The 2023 class was announced on December 19, 2022, prior to the 2023 MLS SuperDraft . The first five picks in the draft, including top pick Hamady Diop from Clemson , were Generation Adidas players.
Player Age Pos Hometown College/prior Draft team United States Joey Akpunonu 20 D Toledo, OH Bowling Green FC Cincinnati Ghana Joshua Bolma 20 M Accra, Ghana Maryland New England Revolution Canada Moïse Bombito 22 D Montréal, QC New Hampshire Colorado Rapids Senegal Hamady Diop 20 D Dakar, Senegal Clemson Charlotte FC United States CJ Fodrey 18 M San Diego, CA San Diego State Austin FC France Bertin Jacquesson 21 F Lorrez-le-Bocage-Préaux , France Pittsburgh Real Salt Lake Ghana Shak Mohammed 19 F Kumasi, Ghana Duke Orlando City SC Cameroon J.C. Ngando 23 M Paris, France UNC Greensboro Vancouver Whitecaps FC United States Owen O'Malley21 M Cary, NC Creighton St. Louis City SC United States Ilijah Paul 20 F Gilbert, AZ Washington Real Salt Lake United States Joey Skinner 19 D Charlotte, NC Clemson Nashville SC
2024 The two-member 2024 class was announced on December 19, 2023, the same day as the 2024 MLS SuperDraft .
2025 The 2025 class was announced on December 18, 2024, prior to the 2025 MLS SuperDraft .
Project-40 in the A-League Year Division League Reg. season Playoffs Open Cup 1998 2 USISL A-League 5th, Pacific did not qualify did not qualify 1999 USL A-League 2nd, Central Quarterfinals 2000 4th, Central did not qualify 3rd round
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