Meet Cade Cowell, MLS' Next Big Export?

Major League Soccer has seen exponential growth over the years with their player development, and as recently as the January transfer window we saw more big names move to Europe.

The San Jose Earthquakes may have MLS' next big export in attacker Cade Cowell.

The California native is only 18, but he's already taking the league by storm after a 2021 campaign that saw him score five goals and add another five assists.

This season, Cowell is expected to make another big jump in his career with the Earthquakes due to the eyeballs watching him in Europe.

With well-known attackers like Daryl Dike and Ricardo Pepi completing big moves overseas, it's very possible that Cowell soon follows in their footsteps.

Cowell is viewed as yet another top American talent because of his agility with ball as well as the fact that he can play in a variety of positions.

The Quakes typically deploy Cowell as a false 9 or on the wing due to his creativity with the ball and ability to beat defenders off the dribble.

Cowell's pace affords him the option to play in a variety of roles and has given Earthquakes manager Matias Almeyda great reason for excitement.

In Cowell's first full season last year he was highly productive for the Earthquakes and many are expecting him to build off of his totals in 2022.

If Cowell is able to string together another big campaign he could very easily find himself moving to Europe.

Between Cowell's finishing and ability to set up his teammates, there's no reason to think he can't follow in the footsteps of players like Gio Reyna and Ricardo Pepi.

He could also find himself in the U.S. Men's National Team mix over the next year or two if he continues on this trajectory.

He made his first appearance last year and has dual nationalities with the U.S. and Mexico.

By securing Cowell's commitment to the USMNT, the Americans would be getting yet another promising talent that can help lead this next generation heading into the 2026 World Cup in North America.