Generation adidas Cup: Orlando City, Real Salt Lake, Girls Academy All-Stars win titles

NEW YORK – After seven days of the world’s best youth teams going head-to-head, Orlando City SC (U18) and Real Salt Lake (U16) were crowned the 2025 Generation adidas Cup champions.

Sunday’s finals marked the culmination of a historic iteration of the tournament that also included the first-ever Girls Division, which was won by Girls Academy Red, 2-1, against Girls Academy Blue. (GA All-Star Rosters)

MLS clubs have now won seven of the past eight titles at Generation adidas Cup dating back to 2022. In the first championship match of the day, U16 Real Salt Lake jumped out to a quick lead against the LA Galaxy and never looked back, winning 4-0 and their second-ever Generation adidas Cup title. Orlando City SC earned their first Generation adidas Cup title in the U18 age group as they took down the Colorado Rapids in extra time, 2-1.

Once again, Orlando City SC jumped out to a fast start when the ball bounced in the back to Gustavo Caraballo, who unleashed a one-timed volley past the Rapids ‘keeper for a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute. Just before halftime, Colorado equalized off a corner kick when Vincent Rinaldi headed home a cross to tie the game at 1-1. The match went to extra time where Caraballo was once again the difference maker with a terrific curling finish into the top of the net to bring the title to Orlando.

Real Salt Lake completed their dominant tournament in the U16 age group with a 4-0 win over the LA Galaxy. Rylan Hashimoto scored the first goal of the match in the 10th minute when he rounded the goalkeeper and slotted his finish into the net. The other standout forward for Salt Lake, Van Parker, added a second two minutes later following a display of quick footwork in the 18-yard-box. Hashimoto scored his fifth goal of the tournament in sensational fashion with a thunderous long-range effort, before Parker sealed the title with a solo goal with 13 minutes to go.

In the Girls Division final, the breakout young star of the competition, Bristol Kersh (Tophat SC), opened the scoring for Girls Academy Red in the 13th minute before Isabella Ortiz (Florida United) equalized for Girls Academy Blue in the 31st minute. After a second half that featured numerous saves from both clubs, Molly McGuire (Michigan Jaguars) scored the dramatic game-winning goal with a long-range effort in the final minute that earned the victory for Girls Academy Red.

MLS NEXT also announced the award winners in the U18 and U16 age groups of the 2025 Generation adidas Cup.

With a brace in the U18 final, including the game-winning goal, Orlando City SC’s Gustavo Caraballo took home MVP honors. The top scorer of the tournament went to Orlando’s Justin Ellis, who had six goals which led all qualifying players across both age groups. After producing a shutout in each of his first five matches, the Colorado Rapids’ Kendall Starks was named Best Goalkeeper in the U18 age group.

After a phenomenal tournament with five goals, including a brace in the Championship, Rylan Hashimoto (Real Salt Lake) earned MVP honors in the U16 age group. His teammate Konstantinos Kyriazis conceded just one goal in all seven matches and was named Best Goalkeeper in the U16 age group. The Top Scorer in the age group went to PSV’s Obama Appiah (five goals) who edged out Hashimoto via the tiebreaker.

In the Premier brackets, Inter Miami CF defeated rivals Orlando City SC, 4-2, to take home the honors in the U16 age group while Palmeiras (Brazil) was victorious over Nashville SC, 2-0, in the U18s.