Just two days after turning 16 years old, Charlotte FC homegrown attacker Nimfasha Berchimas entered the record books during MLS is Back weekend.
The winger made his senior debut in the latter stages of Charlotte's 1-0, season-opening win over New York City FC on Saturday evening – entering the match as an 84th-minute substitute for Kerwin Vargas.
In the process, Berchimas became the ninth-youngest player to debut in MLS. It's just the latest milestone for the US youth international, who scored three goals in four matches at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
"I felt confident," Berchimas said post-match. "I didn’t feel nervous. I was calm. It felt like a normal game."
Saturday's lone goal at Bank of America Stadium came courtesy of Adilson Malanda's eighth-minute tally, which got the Dean Smith era off to a winning start in Charlotte.
"If they're ready, it doesn't matter what age they are," Smith said. "If the young lads are ready, then I'll give them the opportunity. They're ready at the moment."
Player | Club | Age |
|---|---|---|
1. Freddy Adu | D.C. United | 14 years, 306 days |
2. Julian Hall | New York Red Bulls | 15 years, 190 days |
3. Alphonso Davies | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 15 years, 257 days |
4. Axel Kei | Real Salt Lake | 15 years, 288 days |
5. Matai Akinmboni | D.C. United | 15 years, 328 days |
6. Obed Vargas | Seattle Sounders FC | 15 years, 351 days |
T-7. Erik Duenas | LAFC | 15 years, 362 days |
T-7. Stiven Jimenez | FC Cincinnati | 15 years, 362 days |
9. Nimfasha Berchimas | Charlotte FC | 16 years, 2 days |
10. Danny Leyva | Seattle Sounders FC | 16 years, 31 days |
