Extra Time: Santino Quaranta's Prodigal Journey

When Freddy Adu joined DC United in 2004, he would become teammates with two other players that had made their professional debute as teenagers. One of those players was Santino Quaranta. The Baltimore native exploded onto the national soccer scene, made his way to IMG Academy like Freddy would, and then became the youngest MLS player ever, beating Bobby Convey's record, when he made his DC United debut. Injuries and challenges with substance abuse derailed Quaranta's career, but also strengthened his resilience. The one-time prodigy made his way back to MLS, then started his own club after retirement. He still leads Pipeline SC and is at the forefront of developing the next generation of youth players in America. Quaranta's story shares many similarities and differences to that of Adu's but parallels it in so many ways. Each is a crucial part of understanding the evolution of soccer in America. Founding Futbol is a year-long exploration of the critical moments that have led to so...