Monterey Bay Signs MLS SuperDraft First-Round Defender Abdel Talabi
USL Monterey Bay FC

Monterey Bay Signs MLS SuperDraft First-Round Defender Abdel Talabi

Published on March 3, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Monterey Bay FC News Release


SEASIDE, California - Monterey Bay Football Club (Monterey Bay FC) announces today that the club has signed defender Abdel Talabi pending league and federation approval.

‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š"I'm very excited to join Monterey Bay Football Club for this upcoming season," said Talabi. "Everyone has been very welcoming and I'm ecstatic to represent the Union to the best of my ability to bring success into the 831."

‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€šTalabi, 24, was drafted in the first round (30th overall) of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft by Inter Miami CF out of Bryant University, becoming the first Bulldog ever to be selected in the draft. Known for his composure and discipline as a defender, he played five seasons at the collegiate level (all with Bryant University) having a key role for the Bulldogs' back line through his college career. In his final season, Bryant's defense only conceded eight goals during the regular season while serving as the defensive captain and starting every single game for the Bulldogs. Apart from his defensive excellence, he scored six career goals (3 in 2025) and recorded four assists for his program.

‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š"With Abdel, his athleticism stood out to us. He is dynamic, powerful, and covers ground the way you need to in the modern game," said Monterey Bay FC Head Coach Jordan Stewart. "Being drafted by Inter Miami CF speaks to the level of talent and potential he brings, and we believe there's still a lot more growth ahead of him. His versatility in the back line as a center-back along with shown determination to grow more in this game really impressed me. He wants to be coached and wants to improve in all areas, which fits in to the player profiles we want at the club."

‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€š ‚¬â€šA native of Brewster, Massachusetts, Talabi competed at the highest youth level with the New England Revolution Academy, where he established himself as one of the region's top prospects. Prior to his academy career, he starred at Nauset Regional High School, earning first-team All-Star honors, League Player of the Year, All-State, All-American, and Massachusetts Player of the Year recognition. At Bryant University, Talabi received multiple honors, including First Team All-ECAC, First Team All-America East, and Second Team All-Northeast Region distinction, along with national recognition on the Hermann Trophy.

NAME: Abdel Talabi

POSITION: Defender

AGE: 24

HEIGHT: 6'2"

DATE OF BIRTH: July 3, 2001

HOMETOWN: Brewster, Massachusetts

NATIONALITY: United States

PREVIOUS CLUB: Inter Miami CF

TRANSACTION: Monterey Bay has signed Abdel Talabi to a multi-year deal on March 3, 2026.

The current roster heading into the 2026 season as of March 3 is listed alphabetically as follows:

Goalkeepers: Fernando Delgado

Defenders: Kelsey Egwu, Zackery Farnsworth, Joel Garcia Jr., Nico Gordon, Luka Malesevic, Stuart Ritchie, Abdel Talabi

Midfielders: Eduardo Blancas, Facundo Canete, Belmar Joseph, Johnny Klein, Giorgi Lomtadze, Adrian Rebollarm, Nick Ross

Forwards: Omari Glasgow, Wesley Leggett, Youssou Ndiaye, Ilijah Paul

Check out the Monterey Bay FC Statistics

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