After earning a move to Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls in September of 2021, 19-year-old Ugandan midfielder Steven Sserwadda was placed in the club’s reserve team New York Red Bulls II to gain experience in the American second division USL Championship and get accustomed to the team’s style of play. Making fourteen appearances in 2021 and this season the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations star was given a first team contract after making his first two appearances for the first team in late June and is making an impression.
Possessing the engine to thrive in the club’s high pressing style as a central midfielder, Sserwadda drew praise from manager Gerhard Struber who stated that “he fits into our style of play, and we have seen that in his appearances over the last month and believe that he can succeed at the MLS level.” The pressure will increase on Sserwadda now that he is taking up an international slot in the first team’s roster but his promotion indicates that he will receive an opportunity to thrive in the rising American first division, which provides the chance for further visibility and potentially a promotion to European football through the Red Bull system.
