Talent calendar
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It was a very special year for the New York Red Bulls. After only finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference, the team stormed off Sandro Schwarz to the final, before only the LA Galaxy hurdle became too big. 16-year-old prodigy Julian Hall wasn’t on the field, but he was still right in the middle of the action.
Although he didn’t play, Hall was on the roster for every playoff game and experienced the ups and downs of the playoff round. “Everyone actually wrote us off, but the playoffs were incredible,” says Hall in an exclusive Transfermarkt interview. “I’m really proud of the boys. We fought hard in every single game and reached the final. We worked really hard for this.”
Even without the playoff experience and despite losing the final, Hall can look back positively on the 2024 season. “I have had good experiences. In my first full season I got to know the team and the coaching staff. It was a good, long journey with the boys and we are ready for next season.” After becoming the youngest player in history in 2023 at the age of 15 years, six months and seven days in the 0-1 defeat against Chicago Fire With the New York Red Bulls, Hall became the youngest goalscorer in the MLS in a 2-2 draw against CF Montréal in June.
Hall looked up to Lewandowski
This season, Hall has moved back and forth between the MLS Next Pro team and the first team. While Hall scored two goals and one assist in eleven games in the MLS, his performances were better in the MLS Next Pro, where he scored six times and assisted once in 16 games.
But what kind of kicker is Hall? “I would say I’m a very energetic, passionate player,” says Hall himself. “I just try to do everything for the team and everything that helps us win.” And what about his strengths? the place? “I would say I am a versatile player, agile and able to give my team offensive opportunities.” But Hall also knows that he has to continue to work hard to correct some of his weaknesses. “Probably near the penalty area, when finishing, when holding the ball,” says Hall, outlining his potential for improvement. “No one is perfect and there are many things I can work on to get better.”
Hall wants to become a complete striker, just like his role model. Hall, who was born in New York and also plays for the US youth team, is of Polish descent and calls Robert Lewandowski his role model. “He’s someone I’ve looked up to now and in the past.” One player who knows what it’s like to play with Lewandowski is former FC Bayern striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, who is coming off the season Expected to move to the New York Red Bulls in 2025.
Julian Hall learns from role model Forsberg – Next step Leipzig?
Although the focus of Red Bull clubs is on developing talent, they recognize that a group of experienced professionals is important to guide young and talented players on and off the pitch. For this reason, Emil Forsberg joined the team ahead of the 2024 season. “He is a great role model and I learned a lot from him. Everything he does helps the team.” That’s why he wants to continue to absorb a lot from him in the coming years. While Forsberg is a playmaker, Choupo-Moting is a striker of similar caliber to Hall. “Every player with experience is someone I can learn from,” says Hall, referring to veteran Choupo-Moting. So it would be great for him to be able to take something with him directly.
Both Forsberg and Choupo-Moting have gained experience in Europe that they can pass on to Hall. “Europe is definitely a goal of mine for the future, but at the moment my focus is on the New York Red Bulls and I’m happy to be here.” Perhaps the striker could follow in the footsteps of Tyler Adams and Caden Clark, who moved from the New York Red Bulls to RB Leipzig.
Adams and Clark are the only two academy players who moved directly from New York RB to RB Leipzig. While Adams went to the Premier League, Clark struggled in Europe. After stints in Denmark with Vendsyssel FF and in the MLS with Minnesota United, the playmaker found his form back this season with CF Montréal. However, the Red Bulls are hoping that Hall could be the third player to move to Leipzig. “I think it would be an excellent opportunity for me, but as long as I’m under contract here, that’s my main focus,” says Hall cautiously when confronted with the fact that those responsible in Leipzig are monitoring his situation.
Although Hall has a European passport that would allow him an immediate transfer to Europe, it appears that the striker would like to gain more experience in the MLS before moving to a top European league. Playing with experienced professionals like Forsberg and Choupo-Moting should help Hall mature so that he can increase his playing time with the New York Red Bulls in the 2025 season and become an important part of the team.
Every day from December 1st to 24th, Transfermarkt will present a talent from the 2007 or 2008 vintage from a different country. Sponsors, data scouts and users act as experts and report interesting facts about 24 young players in our talent calendar who you should keep a close eye on in the future. For example with the TM Watchlist.