Daniel De Leon was one of three players to make their professional debuts for New York Red Bulls II in the club’s match on April 2 at FC Tulsa.
The Chaska, Minnesota, native played the full 90 minutes while leading the team in tackles, tackles won, and clearances.
“It was an honor to be able to go out there and represent the club and to make my pro debut with the team,” De Leon said. “I have a lot of respect for the guys and the staff so I just want to do my job and my role well and contribute as much as I can to the team so that we can win.”
The first-year defender signed with Red Bulls II in early March after appearing in all four preseason matches for the club. He started every match, logged 302 minutes, and scored the eventual game-winner in the final match against Philadelphia Union II.
“Playing in the preseason gave me a lot of confidence,” De Leon said. “The staff, along with just being in the lineup and getting to know the guys, gave me confidence which helped me overall.”
The club returns to action this Friday against Rio Grande Valley FC, and De Leon, along with his teammates, are looking to use the extra time on the training ground going forward as the schedule resumes.
“It was an unfortunate result at Tulsa,” De Leon said. “I feel like we are growing every single day at training, and we will definitely see a big turnaround going further into the season.”
