Philadelphia Union has officially signed it's 30th Homegrown, adding 16-year-old Malik Jakupovic to the active roster.
When he put pen to paper, the young striker completed the club's renowned pathway to the pros, earning an MLS contract after excelling on both the academy and MLS NEXT Pro stage.
During his signing day content shoot, he shared what reaching this milestone means to him.
You've made it through the Union's Pathway to the Pros, joining as an academy player, earning a spot on the second team, now becoming a first team player. What does it mean to achieve this?
It means a lot after coming through the academy, working on my craft every single day, and seeing seee first team guys ever since I was a U15, U16, and U18 player.
Completing the pathway to the pros means alot. I've been dreaming of being a professional my whole entire life.
You mentioned having the opportunity to watch first team players on the pitch, but you've also been able to see many of them find success by taking a similar pathway to the one you have. What is it like to now train with them everyday and play alongside them on matchday?
I'm up for the challenge, and I've been trying to reach their reach their standard. Coming into the training environment, I've been trying to work as hard as them and just keep the standard high every single day in training and games.
For those who don't know, can you explain how you first got involved in the Philadelphia Union?
I was a U14 player, and I got scouted to the Philadelphia Union. Came on a couple trials, and then in my u15 year, I decided to leave my home in Michigan to play for the Philadelphia Union. Started from U15 year, then U16, then U18, then started playing with the second team. It's been really great.
When you left home, you had to leave your family move, and move across the country to Philadelphia to live in the Academy's residency house -- a really unique experience for a young player. How has environment allowed you to grow into the professional you are today?
It shaped me into the person and player I am today. When I came my freshman year, I'd been looking up to the sophomores, the juniors, and to the seniors. Just watching them, what they eat, how they sleep, what they do every single day on a daily basis. It really, really shaped me into the player I am today.
You've been pretty consistently training with the first team over the past couple of months, you were with them in preseason. Now, you're in the swings. Reflecting on the year so far, what has this stretch been like for you and your development?
It's been really good, being with first team and second team, and I'm really up for the challenge. It's a really big change from the second team to first team, and I'm really looking forward to being with the first team, and trying my best every single day for the Union.
I think I can guess it, but do you have a top moment so far this year?
I would say making my debut, that's been a goal and a dream of mine ever since I came into the Union, and it was just surreal when I came in. So I really liked that.
Before I went in, Bradley gave me a couple tactics and whatnot, for the set pieces, but also just told me to be myself, and do what I do best.
This season is just getting started, what are your biggest personal goals?
I would say for sure, getting that goal or getting that assist, but really making the effort to make a change into the game.
That's my duty. If I come in the game, I'm gonna do my best, which is to change the game.
There's been a lot of fans that have watched you grow from an academy player to a second team player and now a first teamer. Do you have a message for them about what you're hoping to bring to the table?
When I come into a game, I'm gonna try my best, and I'm always gonna look for the goal. I'm just gonna work my butt off every single day. I'm really excited to be in that type of environment of every single weekend chasing chasing a goal.
You're 16, you're one of the youngest on the team with Cavan. One of the youngest in the league. How special is that for you?
It's really special for me, and it means a lot for me, because it shows that all the coaches, all the staff, all the directors really, really trust and believe in me to make that jump into the first team and play more minutes.
How helpful is it to have so many older and more experienced guys to look up to?
Jovan and Bruno, I really try to look up to them every single day.
Jovan, he's Serbian, we speak the same language, and Bruno, he's a striker. He's an amazing player, especially off the ball. He works his tail off every single day, and those are teammates I really try to look up to every single day.
What does your signing, and the success of some of your teammates that have gone through a similar journey, say about the club's commitment to development?
I would say they believe. That's something they really did for me. In my U15 year, they made a jump for me to be with the 17s. And then 16 year, they believed that could be with 18s. U18 year, they believed that I could be with the second team.
Now that's a big jump to go to the first team. It's really belief, and they believe in every single talent that's been with the academy to the first team. It's really amazing what they do.
