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MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Quakes Academy Players Tomo Allen, Rohan Rajagopal Named to MLS NEXT All-Star Game Presented by Allstate

July 2, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


SAN JOSE, Calif. - MLS NEXT announced today that Quakes Academy Under-17 players Tomo Allen and Rohan Rajagopal have been named to the West roster of the third annual MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate. The match will showcase North America's top young players in an East vs. West matchup at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, July 23, at 8:30 a.m. PT and stream live on MLSSoccer.com. Admission to the game is free, as fans in Columbus can watch the future stars of MLS take center stage during MLS All-Star Week.

"I am incredibly proud of Tomo and Rohan for being selected to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game," said Quakes Academy U-17 head coach Steven Sosa. "This prestigious opportunity is well-deserved, and they have truly earned it through their hard work and dedication. Their selection is not only a personal achievement but also a testament to the quality and strength of the San Jose Earthquakes Academy. Congratulations, Tomo and Rohan!"

Allen, 16, scored 26 goals this season as the team's run ended in the MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs Round of 16. A forward from Danville, California, he earned national attention in 2018 as a 10-year-old playing up with the Quakes Academy's U-11 team before playing two levels up with the U-12s. TopDrawerSoccer.com currently rates him as the No. 4 overall player in the Northern California/Hawaii region for the Class of 2025 and 61st overall nationally. Allen, who turns 17 Wednesday, is slated to attend perennial college powerhouse program Stanford University in the fall of 2025.

Rajagopal, 17, was the captain of that U-17 team. A holding midfielder from Los Altos, California, he will now play for the Earthquakes' second team, The Town FC, before becoming a first-team Homegrown Player effective January 1, 2026. Ranked by TopDrawerSoccer.com as the No. 1 overall player in the Northern California/Hawaii region for the Class of 2026 and 41st overall nationally, Rajagopal started his youth soccer journey at local club MVLA before transitioning to the Quakes Academy in 2018.

Among the 44 players who will compete in the match, more than half have played in MLS NEXT this season and progressed to sign Homegrown deals or appear in MLS NEXT Pro. Other notable Homegrown Players selected as 2024 MLS NEXT All-Stars include FC Cincinnati's Stefan Chirila, the Philadelphia Union's Cavan Sullivan and St. Louis CITY SC's Tyson Pearce. Of the previous MLS NEXT All-Stars, more than 70% have gone on to be called up by their respective Youth National Teams and three have already made Senior National Team appearances - Inter Miami's Benjamin Cremaschi (United States), the New England Revolution's Esmir Bajraktarevic (United States) and Olger Escobar (Guatemala).

"Throughout the season, these 44 players from both MLS and MLS NEXT Elite Academies have consistently stood out as the best young prospects in our program," said MLS NEXT Technical Director Luis Robles. "The players and clubs should be proud of their accomplishments this year and we look forward to a highly competitive match in Columbus on July 23."

MLS NEXT and Allstate will provide the players with unique opportunities during MLS All-Star Week, which will include a full slate of programming events and activities in advance of the match. The players will be fully immersed in MLS All-Star Week festivities, which include team training, the All-Star Skills Challenge presented by AT&T on July 23, and the MLS All-Star Game on July 24. Each MLS NEXT All-Star team will also conduct their own training sessions leading up to their match on Tuesday morning.

"We're proud to support North American soccer's top young talent," said Dan Keats, director of sponsorships and engagement marketing at Allstate. "This event provides a platform for these rising stars to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level."

The 44 players were selected following the conclusion of the 2024 MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs and Showcase. To be eligible for selection, players must have been born between 2007-2009, have competed in the MLS NEXT regular season and played in at least one of the MLS NEXT premier events this season - MLS NEXT Fest, MLS NEXT Flex, Generation adidas Cup or the MLS NET Cup Playoffs and Showcase.

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