Orlando City Academy Defender Tahir Reid-Brown Selected to MLS NEXT All-Star Game

MLS NEXT announced today that Orlando City academy defender Tahir Reid-Brown has been selected for the 2023 MLS NEXT All-Star Game, which will take place on July 19 at the Naval Academy’s Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in Annapolis, MD. Reid-Brown will represent the East in the second annual event that takes place the morning of the MLS All-Star Game.

“We’re thrilled for Tahir to have this opportunity to compete with and against the best in his class at the MLS NEXT All-Star Game,” Orlando City Technical Director Ricardo Moreira said. “His selection shows, yet again, the work that our academy is doing to produce some of the top young talent in the country and we’re excited to see him play in the nation’s capital later this summer.” 

The 16-year-old defender made 13 appearances for the Orlando City U-17 side, helping the team reach the MLS NEXT Cup semifinals for the third consecutive season, where the Lions eventually fell to runners-up Real Colorado. Reid-Brown scored one goal in those 13 appearances, helping him to reach this achievement.

Reid-Brown has also spent the last two seasons in MLS NEXT Pro with Orlando City B, Orlando City’s reserve side, on an academy contract. He made six appearances with three starts last year with the professional side and has made six appearances with one start this season. The teenager has also made his way into the U.S. youth national team setup, getting called up to the U.S. U-17 camp in April.

Orlando City has now had three players to play in the MLS NEXT All-Star Game. Last year, Alejandro Granados and Favian Loyola both appeared in the game and Loyola was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Similar to Reid-Brown, Granados and Loyola have played the last two seasons with OCB and Loyola signed an MLS contract with the club on Dec. 2, 2022.

The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will take place at 10:30 a.m. on July 19, leading into the MLS All-Star Game that night. At least one player was selected from each of the 29 MLS academies and five from non-MLS academies that take part in the league.