Tommy Thompson is only 20 years old, but he has already built an impressive list of accolades on the pitch. The Sacramento native, San Jose Earthquakes midfielder, occasional Sacramento Republic FC loan player and U.S. Youth National Team veteran is set to make his third consecutive appearance in the MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game on Wednesday.
The Homegrowns will take on Mexico’s Under-20 Men’s National Team on Wednesday at Avaya Stadium as part of MLS All-Star Week festivities. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
“To be able to have the opportunity to play in front of the home fans at Avaya Stadium is something I’m really looking forward to,” said Thompson to USLSoccer.com.
Founded in 2014, the MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game is an opportunity to showcase up and coming Homegrown Players—players signed directly to a club who have played at least one year for their youth Academy teams—throughout MLS.
Thompson, the Quakes first-ever Homegrown Player, is the only current or former USL player to be rostered for every MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game played to-date. He scored the first homegrown goal in the game’s history in 2015, recording the lone Homegrown goal in a 1-1 draw with Club America’s U-20s before falling in a penalty shootout at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado during the 2015 MLS All-Star Week.
16 players, including Thompson, featured on this year’s 22-man Homegrown Roster, have spent time earning crucial minutes in the USL. This season, Thompson has appeared in a total of 15 matches for Republic FC, scoring three goals and recording two assists for Republic FC over the course of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Like fellow loan player Adam Jahn, Thompson notes than time spent with Republic FC has been crucial for his development as a professional player.
“We’re young guys who just want to play and get better, and Sacramento Republic provides a great outlet for us to perform on a different stage when the minutes aren’t coming with San Jose,” said Thompson to USLSoccer.com. “I think Adam and I have both played some good minutes with San Jose as well, but we want to stay sharp for when our number is called, and Sacramento gives us a great place to play.”
Surely enough, Thompson’s statistics at Republic FC show his development of the course of the club’s history and his career.
Thompson received his first U.S. U-20s National Team call-up while on loan with Republic FC in 2014. In 2015, Thompson scored his first professional career goal while on loan to Republic FC, scoring the match-winning goal against Tulsa Roughnecks FC on August 28, 2015 at Bonney Field. Thompson also recorded his first professional brace while with Republic FC, scoring both goals in Republic FC’s 2-0 win against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on May 14, 2016.
Thompson earned his first USL Player of the Week award for his performance in Week 8 of this season after recording his brace against S2.
Republic FC fans may watch Thompson and the MLS Homegrown Team when they face Mexico's U-20s on Wednesday at Avaya Stadium. Kickoff is 6 p.m. The match will be streamed live at MLSsoccer.com.
Tommy Thompson is only 20 years old, but he has already built an impressive list of accolades on the pitch. The Sacramento native, San Jose Earthquakes midfielder, occasional Sacramento Republic FC loan player and U.S. Youth National Team veteran is set to make his third consecutive appearance in the MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game on Wednesday.
The Homegrowns will take on Mexico’s Under-20 Men’s National Team on Wednesday at Avaya Stadium as part of MLS All-Star Week festivities. Kickoff is 6 p.m.
“To be able to have the opportunity to play in front of the home fans at Avaya Stadium is something I’m really looking forward to,” said Thompson to USLSoccer.com.
Founded in 2014, the MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game is an opportunity to showcase up and coming Homegrown Players—players signed directly to a club who have played at least one year for their youth Academy teams—throughout MLS.
Thompson, the Quakes first-ever Homegrown Player, is the only current or former USL player to be rostered for every MLS Chipotle Homegrown Game played to-date. He scored the first homegrown goal in the game’s history in 2015, recording the lone Homegrown goal in a 1-1 draw with Club America’s U-20s before falling in a penalty shootout at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado during the 2015 MLS All-Star Week.
16 players, including Thompson, featured on this year’s 22-man Homegrown Roster, have spent time earning crucial minutes in the USL. This season, Thompson has appeared in a total of 15 matches for Republic FC, scoring three goals and recording two assists for Republic FC over the course of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Like fellow loan player Adam Jahn, Thompson notes than time spent with Republic FC has been crucial for his development as a professional player.
“We’re young guys who just want to play and get better, and Sacramento Republic provides a great outlet for us to perform on a different stage when the minutes aren’t coming with San Jose,” said Thompson to USLSoccer.com. “I think Adam and I have both played some good minutes with San Jose as well, but we want to stay sharp for when our number is called, and Sacramento gives us a great place to play.”
Surely enough, Thompson’s statistics at Republic FC show his development of the course of the club’s history and his career.
Thompson received his first U.S. U-20s National Team call-up while on loan with Republic FC in 2014. In 2015, Thompson scored his first professional career goal while on loan to Republic FC, scoring the match-winning goal against Tulsa Roughnecks FC on August 28, 2015 at Bonney Field. Thompson also recorded his first professional brace while with Republic FC, scoring both goals in Republic FC’s 2-0 win against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on May 14, 2016.
Thompson earned his first USL Player of the Week award for his performance in Week 8 of this season after recording his brace against S2.
Republic FC fans may watch Thompson and the MLS Homegrown Team when they face Mexico’s U-20s on Wednesday at Avaya Stadium. Kickoff is 6 p.m. The match will be streamed live at MLSsoccer.com.
