13-Year-Old Da’vian Kimbrough Makes History As Youngest Person To Play Professional Soccer In U.S.

A Sacramento Republic player made history during the club’s 2-0 win against the Las Vegas Lights.

During the 87th minute, Da’vian Kimbrough was subbed into the game for the remainder of the match. At 13 years, 7 months and 13 days, he officially became the youngest debutant in U.S. professional soccer history. He broke Axel Kei’s record, who was 13 years, 9 months and 9 days old when he debuted for the Real Monarchs in October 2021. 

Prior to his debut, Kimbrough had 27 goals in 31 appearances for Sacramento’s under-13 team and a total of 61 goals for the academy team. He signed a contract with the first team in August, becoming the youngest American to sign a professional deal. A dual national, Kimbrough is eligible to play for Mexico.

Sacramento Republic plays in the USL, which is considered the second tier in the U.S. soccer pyramid after the MLS. The team is currently at the top of the USL Western Conference with two games left to play. They have a guaranteed spot in the USL playoffs.