The Second Youngest Player To Ever Score a Goal in MLS history, Gianluca Busio Makes His Mark
Sporting Kansas City’s Yohan Croizet and Gianluca Busio both scored, leading their team to victory against the Whitecaps and into third place in the Western Conference.
Youth Soccer News: Most 16-year-olds just dream about becoming a professional or getting their driver’s license. In the heartland of America, Gianluca Busio is living that dream today.
A North Carolina boy from Greensboro, Busio (@GBUSIO10) calls home now Kansas City and is proud to be a professional in the MLS at Sporting Kansas City. This homegrown player at 5’7″ and 135 lbs. is a Midfielder/Forward to watch. And, just so you know, the pronunciation for his hame is: jahn-LUKA BOO-see-oh
Always a playmaker, Busio was called up to the U15 National Team when he was 14 years old and was spotted by Sporting KC.
Coached by Sporting KC’s Academy U17 Head Coach Rumbani Munthali, Technical Director Michel Ribeiro, andAcademy Director Jon Parry, Busio flourished during the 2016-17 Academy season, moving from the U14 to the U16 squad.
After just one year training at the MLS club’s Development Academy, Busio was pushed up to the USL team, the Swope Park Rangers and made his pro debut in April, 2018.
While on the USL team, Busio was still eligible and played in the U17s Generation adidas Cup last year.
Always smiling and hard-working, Busio rose to the ranks of becoming a professional player before he could drive.
Gianluca Busio Player on Fire:
- He earned his Sporting KC club debut at the U.S. Open Cup match as his team beat Real Salt Lake 2-0.
- Busio made his first MLS appearance last summer against FC Dallas in July – just two months after his debut with the USL team.
- Now, Busio has scored his first career goal when his team beat the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on October 17th.
Here is a great series of clips from the Sporting Kansas City vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC. For those of you impatient to see Gianluca Busio’s first goal, you can scroll to the near end. It is delightful to witness Busio’s goal. A fast thinking player, he knew what to do at the right moment to get the ball in the back of the net and then, you can see his gleeful surprise when he realized he scores his first MLS goal.
Now under the leadership of MLS Sporting Kansas City Head Coach / Manager Peter Vermes, Busio continues to excel. Vermes is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the MLS and has a well-deserved reputation for identifying talent and developing players.
Busio fits in perfectly with his teammates and clearly has fun practicing his craft. He has earned the respect of men twice his age and is recognized as a determined and focused student of the game.
Busio may still be in high school, working on balancing the demands of being a professional player while a student, but he is years ahead as a savvy, and talented player who puts out the effort to succeed.
Busio is ready for what balls come his way.
