His signature is historic. Da’vian Kimbrough is the youngest professional athlete of all time. The 13-year-old soccer talent from the USA has signed a contract with Sacramento Republic FC of the United Soccer League.
Da’vian Kimbrough signed a professional contract with USL’s Sacramento Republic FC, becoming the youngest professional footballer in the United States at just 13 years, 5 months and 13 days.
13-year-old becomes youngest professional athlete of all time
This extraordinary 13-year-old talent also holds a record as the youngest professional athlete in North American sports, which includes sports leagues such as the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and WNBA. Prior to Kimbrough, New York City FC’s Maximo Carrizo held that title, having signed a contract in February 2022 at the age of 14.
Talented striker Kimbrough joined Republic FC’s youth academy in 2021 at the age of eleven. Over the past two seasons, Kimbrough has impressed with Sacramento’s U-13 and U-14 teams in the MLS Next League, scoring an impressive 61 goals in 81 total games.
Top talent receives special permission from the league
For his third season, Kimbrough will be eligible to play for the club’s first team in the USL Championship. Republic FC President and General Manager Todd Dunivant said in a statement that Kimbrough’s journey “has only just begun”.
“He’s a remarkable talent who has dedicated himself to his dream of becoming a top player. He’s successfully competed against older age groups, put in impressive performances in top-flight competitions and ultimately earned a first-team spot,” explained Dunivant. “We are deeply honored that the Kimbrough family and Da’vian have chosen to pursue his sporting and professional career with Republic FC. We are looking forward to the coming season with great expectations!”
Pro debut possible on Saturday
Kimbrough recently made headlines when he took part in the prestigious Bassevelde U-13 Cup, a tournament that brings together the likes of Juventus, West Ham and Benfica. In this competition, Kimbrough was active as a guest player for the Red Bulls from the MLS and made a significant contribution to the fact that the team became the first MLS team to win the tournament. He was also named Most Valuable Player (MVP).
With the approval of both the federation and the league, there is a possibility that the 1.80m Kimbrough will make his professional debut as early as next Saturday against Birmingham Legion FC.
