Ilijah Paul

Ilijah Paul Gindiri (born July 26, 2002) is an American soccer player who plays as a forward for NIFL Premiership side Larne on loan from Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake.[1]

Ilijah Paul
Personal information
Full name Ilijah Paul Gindiri
Date of birth (2002-07-26) July 26, 2002
Place of birth Gilbert, Arizona, United States
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Larne
(on loan from Real Salt Lake)
Youth career
San Tan Legacy
Arizona SC
Valparaiso United
2018–2019 Real Salt Lake
2019 Phoenix Rising
2019–2020 Barça Residency Academy
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 San Francisco Dons 1 (0)
2021–2022 Washington Huskies 39 (11)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019 Phoenix Rising 0 (0)
2019 → FC Tucson (loan) 3 (0)
2022 Crossfire Redmond 6 (3)
2023– Real Salt Lake 2 (0)
2023 Real Monarchs 2 (1)
2023– → Larne (loan) 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Youth and college

Paul played soccer for a variety of clubs at youth level, spending time with local sides San Tan Legacy and Arizona Soccer Club, before joining Valparaiso United FC, helping the team to end a fifteen year title drought for Arizona teams at the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships.[2] In 2018, he left Arizona to join the Real Salt Lake academy in Utah. In for the U16/17 side, Paul made sixteen appearances and led the team with ten goals.[3][4] 2019 saw Paul join the Phoenix Rising academy, but also sign a USL academy contract that allowed him to retain his college eligibility.[5] In September 2019, he was loaned to Phoenix's USL League One affiliate side FC Tucson, where he made three appearances.[6] In late 2019, Paul joined his final academy side, the Barça Residency Academy, scoring six goals in as many appearances.[7][8][9]

In 2020, Paul committed to playing college soccer at the University of San Francisco.[9] During the 2020–21 season, which was truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Paul only made a single appearance for the Dons.[2] In 2021, Paul transferred to the University of Washington, where he went on to score 11 goals and tallying five assists in 39 appearances for the Huskies. In his sophomore season, he was a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist, Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, Pac-12 All-Conference First Team, and United Soccer Coaches All-Far West Region First Team.[10][11]

During the 2022 season, Paul also played with National Premier Soccer League side Crossfire Redmond, scoring three goals in six games.[12]

In December 2022, it was announced that Paul would leave college early and sign a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer, and enter the 2023 MLS SuperDraft.[13][14]

Senior

On December 21, 2022, Paul was selected 7th overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake.[15][16][17]

References
  1. "Loan deal agreed for Ilijah Paul". Larne FC Website. September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  2. "Ilijah Paul – Men's Soccer". University of San Francisco Athletics.
  3. Whitehouse, Cody. "Ilijah Paul and Brandon Keniston are playing elite soccer when peers are in high school". The Arizona Republic.
  4. "Real Salt Lake". rsl.
  5. "Phoenix Rising FC Adds 16-Year Old Local Forward Ilijah Paul To Roster for 2019 Season".
  6. "USA – I. Paul – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  7. Moore, Miranda (February 11, 2020). "Barça Residency Academy U-19s Claim Impressive Win over Crossfire Premier". BARCA RESIDENCY ACADEMY USA.
  8. "College Commitments". BARCA RESIDENCY ACADEMY USA.
  9. "MSOC | Dons Add Ilijah Paul for 2020". University of San Francisco Athletics.
  10. "Washington Huskies". Washington Huskies.
  11. "Pac-12 OPOY Ilijah Paul leads Huskies soccer into NCAA tournament". The Seattle Times. November 18, 2022.
  12. "TWO PLAYERS FROM XF NPSL TEAM SELECTED IN MLS SUPER DRAFT". December 25, 2022.
  13. "2023 Generation adidas class announced | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  14. "First eight members of 2023 Generation adidas class announced by MLS".
  15. "RSL Selects Five in 2023 MLS SuperDraft | Real Salt Lake". rsl.
  16. "Paul, Scardina Selected In 2023 MLS SuperDraft | Pac-12". pac-12.com.
  17. "MLS SuperDraft: Sounders deal top pick; UW's Ilijah Paul selected by RSL". The Seattle Times. December 21, 2022.
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