Never say never

This story appears in the April 18, 2011 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

EVEN BEFORE HE scored the tying goal for the U.S. during a high-profile friendly against Argentina on March 26, 18-year-old Juan Agudelo seemed too good to be true.

Just a month after debuting with the New York Red Bulls last October, the 6'1" forward became the first graduate of a Major League Soccer team academy to start for the national squad.

To learn more about Juan Agudelo and why managing outsize expecations might be his biggest obstacle, become an ESPN Insider today!

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Doug McIntyre

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Doug McIntyre is a staff writer for ESPN The Magazine. He has covered American and international soccer since 2002.