Cade Cowell signed with Major League Soccer Club New York Red Bulls this past month.
The 22-year-old Ceres native returns to MLS after spending the past two seasons with Mexican club Chivas Guadalajara of Liga MX.
The Red Bulls acquired Cowell from Chivas on Dec. 17 on a one-year loan with an option to buy following the 2026 season.
New York also sent $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money to MLS Club San Jose Earthquakes for Cowell’s Discovery Priority.
Cowell began his pro soccer career with the Quakes in 2019 and spent five seasons in San Jose.
“I’m very excited to return to MLS again,” Cowell stated. “It will be a new challenge being on the East Coast, which I look forward to.”
“We are very excited to add Cade to our roster, he is a quick, skillful attacking player that will be an important part of our frontline next season,” said Julian de Guzman, Head of Sport for the New York Red Bulls. “He has had proven success in MLS, and we are looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish with us.”
Cowell is the first major signing for Red Bulls’ new head coach/former United States Men’s National Team Captain Michael Bradley.
New York will be vying for a berth to the MLS Cup Playoffs this year.
The Red Bulls’ league-record, 15-year postseason streak ended this past season following a 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference with a 12-15-7 record.
New York advanced to the MLS Cup Final in 2024.
The Red Bulls’ second team reached the MLS Next Pro Cup during the fall under Bradley’s guidance.
“When the Red Bulls reached out, I was extremely happy,” Cowell said. “They are such a big name in the U.S. and have a lot of connections in Europe.”
“Cade is an experienced young player who’s already proven he can compete at a high level,” Bradley stated. “His talent and work rate will add real value to our group and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to work with him.”
A speedy winger, Cowell is looking forward to making a difference with his new club.
He posted a time of 3.6 seconds in the 30-yard dash during a recent offseason training session.
“This year, I’m really looking to connect well with my teammates and have a great run in playoffs,” Cowell said. “I hope to contribute lots of goals and assists. I hope a call up (to the U.S. Men’s National Team) will come with that.”
Cowell signed with Chivas in January of 2024.
He became the first USMNT player to suit up for the Liga MX club.
Cowell collected 12 goals and five assists in 69 appearances.
He scored his first career goal in a 3-1 win over Forge FC in the first round of the 2023-24 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
He tallied one goal and one assist during his final game with Chivas, which lost 3-2 to Cruz Azul in the quarterfinal of the second leg of Liga MX 2025 Apertura play on Nov. 30 in Mexico City.
Cowell bid farewell to Chivas coaches, teammates and fans via social media following his return to MLS.
“I will forever be grateful to say that I played with Chivas,” he said. “Such a huge club and amazing fans that love and support the team no matter what. Living out in Mexico for two years was a great experience for me and my wife. It also helped us grow a bit since it was our first time leaving our families.”
A Homegrown Player, Cowell signed a first-team contract with San Jose in January of 2019.
In five MLS seasons, the Quakes Academy product collected 10 goals and 15 assists in 104 appearances.
Cowell set numerous age-specific Earthquakes records during his tenure, including youngest player to make his MLS debut (16 years, 150 days), youngest player to make an MLS start (16 years, 325 days), and youngest player to score an MLS goal (16 years, 325 days).
Cowell made MLS history in 2021 by becoming the youngest player selected to the All-Star Team.
He became the youngest player in MLS history to make 100 league appearances and was selected to the MLS 22 Under 22 list for the third consecutive year in 2023.
Cowell joined the Quakes Academy from local club Ballistic United after the 2017-18 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season, when he led the nation with 34 goals in 32 appearances at the Under-15 level.
Nearly seven months later, Cowell ascended to the professional ranks, becoming the youngest first-team player in Earthquakes and Bay Area team sports history (15 years, 102 days), as well as the fourth-youngest signing ever in MLS history at the time.
Cowell has appeared in 11 games with the U.S Men’s National Team.
He made his debut in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina in December of 2021.
He represented the U.S. in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, where he made five appearances and scored his first goal at the senior international level in a 6-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago.
Cowell has also represented the U.S. at the U-16, U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels. He played with the U.S. U-20 National Team in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, leading the squad with three goals and helping Team USA reach the quarterfinals.
Cowell talked about the possibility of representing Team USA in the future while being interviewed by amNewYork.
He was last called up to the USMNT in November of 2024.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19.
“That’s definitely on my mind,” Cowell said. “The first thing is playing well at Red Bull and that will open up a lot of different windows. But the National Team is definitely a huge goal that I have. The biggest tournament in the world is coming up. I don’t have a lot of time, but I know what I can do, and I hope that I can show it.”
