Photo credit: New York Red Bulls
In their 30-season history, the New York Red Bulls have signed 37 players to homegrown contracts. Today, that number climbed to 38 with Sandy Hook, Connecticut native Matthew Dos Santos putting pen to paper on his first professional contract with New York Red Bulls II after seven years with the academy.
With Dos Santos signing, he becomes the club's third homegrown player from Connecticut, joining 2018 signings Ben Mines (Ridgefield, CT) and Kevin Politz (New Haven, CT).
When asked about signing the contract, Dos Santos said he couldn't have been more excited. "I had been waiting for that moment for so long that I wasnāt nervous or anything like that, just an unreal feeling."
A left back by trade, Dos Santos signs a deal with New York Red Bulls II under head coach Ibrahim Sekagya through the 2026 season. That deal will eventually be transitioned to a homegrown contract with the first team beginning in January of 2027 and run through 2029, with an option for 2030.
The Red Bulls have always given players from the New York Metropolitan area a pathway to the professional ranks. Dos Santos joins the likes of Matt Miazga, Tyler Adams, Omir Fernandez, and many others, all from different backgrounds, to have stood out in the academy and reached the heights of signing a homegrown contract.
At 16 years old, Dos Santos is a modern-day dynamic left wingback, able to contribute on both ends of the field. In the academy, his game was described as "calm and very technical". One player even called his ability on the ball "extremely class" and is great at creating opportunities in the attack.
One person whoās accompanied Matthew on his entire soccer journey has been his mother, Ana. Seeing her son's dream come true means everything to the family.
"Watching Matty achieve one of his dreams here at Red Bull is beyond words", Ana told me. "I think about all the hard work, dedication, and challenges we faced to get here. It's a reminder of how much heās grown as a person and player. We can't thank the [Red Bull] Academy enough for everything. We knew it wouldn't be an easy journey to reach this big day but always knew it would be worth it at the end!"
Growing up in Sandy Hook, CT, Dos Santos joined nearby Brookfield Soccer Club at the age of four. In 2017, he joined the New York Red Bulls Pre-Academy after being discovered through Instagram videos.
In his time with the Red Bull academy, Dos Santos has played pre-academy (U11), all the way through the U17s. Now he's making the jump up to Red Bull II full-time.
Along with his mother and father, Mauro, both of whom immigrated to the United States from Brazil, Dos Santos would commute almost two hours, each way, to train at the Red Bulls facility in Whippany, New Jersey. Ana has fond memories of those rides from these past seven years.
"The car rides have always been something truly special. Even though they were long, they became a time for us to connect with Matty in a way we couldnāt anywhere else. It was during these rides that we created an open space for him to share anything on his mind, fostering honest communication at all times. Over the years, those drives became more than just transportation ā they were where we helped him grow into the person he is today, both on and off the field. So many emotions were felt during those times: laughter, tears, and everything in between. Those car rides are where our bond strengthened, and where we supported each other through it all."
He might have taken those early car rides for granted, but now seven years later, Dos Santos understands that his parents were willing to do anything to see him succeed.
"Yeah, itās unbelievable how committed both of them were towards my dream at such a young age. Of course, back then I didnāt really recognize the sacrifices they made for me but now as Iāve gotten older, Iāve gotten to appreciate everything they have done for me throughout the years."
In the academy, Dos Santos belonged to some good teams in New York but his greatest accomplishment with the club came in 2023. Matty was a part of the U15 team, alongside five current homegrown Red Bull players, who went on to lift MLS Next Cup in Frisco, Texas.
"Winning the 2023 MLS Next Cup had to be one of the best moments Iāve had at the club", said Dos Santos. That whole group was special, it was basically a second family. Knowing that we had guys who had already broken into the second team like Julian [Hall] and Aidan [Stokes] just made the group more confident."
One of those other teammates was Tanner Rosborough, who signed his homegrown contract in the Fall of 2023. "Iām very proud and happy to see him sign a pro contract, said Rosborough who has been a teammate of Dos Santos since Tanner moved from the Pittsburgh area a few years ago. "Iāve seen all the sacrifices heās made and his parents as well for him, so excited to see him sign."
Over the years Tanner has developed a close relationship with the Dos Santos family. "Iād say Iām pretty close with Matty and his family, not only just from playing together on the field but off the field as well. He and his family have done things for me that Iām extremely grateful for andĀ theyāre just all great people."
Matty has been part of the Red Bull II setup since last spring, consistently training with the professional team and leaving his mark. Dos Santos would make his pro debut in a five-minute cameo off the bench, ten days after his 16th birthday on June 15th, 2024, in a 2-0 loss to New England II.
In 2024 Dos Santos would see the field five times for Red Bull II, coming off the bench in every appearance. Despite the little time in the professional setting, Matty showed he was ready for the next level.
This January, Dos Santos accompanied the first team when they began their preseason down in Bradenton, Florida at IMG Academy. Matty suffered a minor calf injury late in the trip, but he had already made his impression on Sandro Schwarz and the rest of the staff. That trip led to the club ultimately getting the player under contract.
2025 has seen Dos Santos get off to a hot start with the second team. In the team's season opener down in Atlanta, Dos Santos earned his first professional start and played the full 90' in Red Bull II's 1-0 victory against Atlanta United II down in Kennesaw, Georgia.
"It was great to get my first start for the second team and be able to play a solid 90 in a very defensive-sided game", said Dos Santos. "I had felt that I had a good preseason going with the first team to Florida and Ibra [Sekagya] had been there supporting the transition to MLS-level football throughout the whole trip so when we got back, we continued to work and thankfully he trusted me to start the first game of the season."
Battling for playing time this preseason with Red Bull II, it looks like Dos Santos has the early edge in the starting eleven over homegrown class of 2023 left back Curtis Ofori. With Omar Valencia now playing with the first team, expect Dos Santos, who turns 17 in June, to have a major role with Red Bull II under Ibrahim Sekagya in 2025.
