Q&A | The latest from Malik Jakupovic

17-year-old striker Malik Jakupovic has subbed in to 11 regular season matches for the Union this year, scoring his first Major League Soccer goal during the Union's historic unbeaten stretch following the World Cup. 

Get to know one of the team's up-and-coming Philadelphia Union Academy products, how he landed in Philly, and in what ways the club has become 'home'.

Let's take it way, way back. What is your first memory of playing soccer?

I would say my mom used to take the take me to these little camps when I was around four or five years old, and I also just played with all my friends from school after school -- those are my earliest memories. To be honest, I don't remember much, but that was for sure a favorite childhood memory of mine. 

You're in Philly now, but can you tell me a little bit about where you're from and how you first got connected with the Philadelphia Union?

I'm from Sterling Heights, Michigan, and I was playing ECNL. I was in my U13 year of academy, and I played for a team called Nationals. We played friendly against the Union, so I came to Philly, played two scrimmage matches against the U13s, and I got scouted. Then, I came on a bunch of trials, and I loved it. Loved the school, I loved the soccer coaches, teachers, everything. I came here my U15 year, and I've loved it ever since.

So you had to move across the country to pursue this opportunity to develop in the Philadelphia Union's Academy. Tell me about that process and what it was like to make a big decision like that at a young age.

At first, it was really tough. I would say the first month of being away from my parents, it was the hardest. I was thinking about going back, but after that jump of two, three months, being with all the guys in the house, [the houseparents] Ms. Celia and Mr. Fred, and being with all the teammates in training and games -- they made me feel at home, and that's what made me like want to stay. I feel at home right now in Philly. 

When you make that big of a move at that age, it's because you're pursuing some big goals. When did you first start to realize that you were good enough to try to pursue a career in this professionally?

I would say ever since I started playing soccer -- like four or five. Of course, that's when I was just playing for fun. But I would say when I was around eight, that's when I kind of realized like I'm a level ahead of the kids my age. That's when I decided, yeah, I'm gonna give everything in my life to this sport, and that's when I realized I want to be a professional soccer player. 

Can you explain for people who might not know what your life is like right now? What is the residency residency house, how many people are living there, and what's it like having Cecilia and Fred around to have your back all of the time?

The residency house is basically a house where it's an academy house, and everybody lives in there that's from out of Philly, so we have kids from California, Michigan, New York, and more. It's from freshman year all the way to senior year, and there are about 12 or 13 of us, and it's actually really fun. I feel like when I go to training, I have to like act like I'm a grown up, and then when I go back to the house, I'm a kid again. That's what makes me a kid. 

We're all chasing our own dreams, and like it was when I was a freshman, I was looking up to all the seniors, but now I'm a senior, and I havesome of the freshmen and sophomores in my residency house looking up to me so like I try to be a role model for them.

What's your favorite part about living with so many other players?

I'll just say like spending time with each other when we come home from school or training. We always play -- those are some of my favorite moment with them. 

You've spoken about your parents quite a bit. I know they've come out to games both on the road and at home. What is your relationship with them like, and how supportive have they been of this move for you? How do you stay connected, even when being so far away?

They're really supportive. They make me have my head up, even though I don't see them that much. When I have a bad game, they help me a lot. And especially with these first team games at home, they try to come here. They book a hotel with me on on weekends, and that's my favorite thing, just to spend time and for them to support me when I'm playing. 

So this year you've reached very significant milestones -- made your MLS debut, scored your first goal. Let's talk about both of those moments individually.

Tell me about the debut first. When did you know that you were going to be able to feature in the match, and how excited were you in that moment to finally get the opportunity?

So it was the day before the match. I realized I was rostered, and I was so happy. I wasn't expecting to get in, to be honest, but I think I got in like this around the 60th minute, and I was like, yeah, I'm playing big minutes. I'm just gonna come in and like give everything I can, but it was really like a great feeling to get in and get support from the fans.

And another goal you had coming into this year was scoring your first MLS goal. That was quite the night for the Philadelphia Union in San Diego, a 5-0 result. All in all, tell me about that experience.

It's something that I've been wishing for throughout my whole life. I would say, right when I signed to the Union, that was my first objective. Of course, debuting first, but scoring and making an impact.

Right when the ball hit the back of the net, I was so happy.

I know we talked about it a little bit on that night, but a lot of the players that you've gotten to know were really supportive of you in that moment, and have been supportive of you throughout the season. They got to celebrate with you on the field. What was that like?

It was so funny. Cav, Neil, and Frankie, were all  on the sideline, and they were just like cheering on for me, and like everybody was just so happy for me, and that made me feel like I have like a lot of friends and a group of teammates and coaches that are really supportive of me.

Speaking of coaches that are supportive of you, Interim Head Coach Ryan Richter has said in multiple press conferences that there's no one who believes in you more than he does.

For him to be the head coach of this current Philadelphia Union team and to have so much belief in you and what you can achieve, how much confidence has that given you? What is your relationship with Richter really like?

He gives me a lot of confidence. Having a head coach for the first team give you a lot of pat on the back is speical. Of course, he was my second team coach last year, and I was on an incredible streak of like scoring goals. He would bring me in and everything.

I want to do this season with him and first team. Right when he brings me into the game, I don't care how many minutes I play. I want to give everything, and he's like a coach that like helps me off the field too, becoming a better person.

He's a great person and he's a great coach. He he helps me every single day in training. If I don't play that much during some games, he always tells me to have my head up and keep on pushing and training, so he's definitely a mentor for me and a coach.

What about on the field? As one of the youngest guys in the first team group right now, are there any players that you're really looking up to?

I would say like all the strikers, of course, like some other players as well. But I'm mainly looking at like Milan, Bruno, and Izzy. Not just what they do on the field, how they carry themselves off the field -- what they do to recover, or what they eat, or anything like that. They're for sure role models for me.

So you've hit two of your major goals for this year for the Philadelphia Union -- now what are you reaching for? What is the next step for you, and how are you getting yourself ready to take that next step?

I would say just take every game one by one. Come in the game and give everything I have for the team, whether that's scoring or not scoring. When I'm on the defensive end, I want to give 100% because last 10 minutes of the game, it's always the hardest, it's always the scrappiest. So I have to give everything I can, but also I want to score a lot more goals and affect the games.

What are match days like for you at Subaru Park, and what do you love most about a game at home on the riverfront?   

l love a game at home. It's so fun. Coming in the locker room -- the locker room is buzzing. Coming out to warm-ups, it feels so good because you see all the fans and they're all supportive. Especially, I love the time when it's the national anthem and everybody's getting up and cheering and just singing the national anthem. Right when the game starts everything and everybody is buzzing even throughout the 90 minutes when it should go down but they keep on cheering. 

There are a lot of fans that have been watching your journey from when you were academy player, to the second team, and now they're watching you get some first team minutes. Do you have a message for the fans that have been supporting you throughout your Union career?

I would say I'm gonna try what I did in the academy and the second team with the first team. I want to score. I want to assist. I want to contribute to the team.