CHESTER, Pa.— The big moments keep coming for midfielders Abdoulaye Diop and Sammy Gallego. In June 2025, they were a part of the Philadelphia Union’s MLS Next Cup-winning squad, where Gallego scored in the the final and was named MVP. Moving on to the U-16s, they helped that squad dominate in the 2025-2026 season, with runs in the MLS Next Fest, Snow Bowl, GA Cup, and MLS Next Cup playoffs. Diop was named to the GA Cup Rising XI and U-16 Best XI, and both have been called to US Youth National Team camps.
This past spring and summer have only brought more accolades and moments. Both Diop and Gallego were rewarded for their strong academy seasons by being named to the MLS Next All Star game on July 29 in Charlotte, following in the footsteps of current Union players like Malik Jakupovic (2025), Cavan Sullivan (2024), Neil Pierre (2023), and Andrew Rick (2022), who received that honor.
In 40 academy appearances, Diop had six goals, two assists, and five secondary assists. Gallego, in 37 academy appearances, had nine goals, 10 assists, and nine secondary assists.
They also both made their professional debuts with Union II, where they have been more integrated into training the last few months. Both first got a taste of playing with Union II when they took part in the friendly with Ocean City Nor’easters back in May, where Gallego scored a goal. He also scored against MLES Academy in that friendly more recently.
Diop did not have to wait long to make his official pro debut, coming off the bench for Union II against New England Revolution II on May 13. He has since made three more appearances off the bench for 67 minutes. Gallego made his pro debut for Union II on June 28 for 28 minutes against Red Bull II.
I caught up with them to talk about the Academy, playing for Union II, and their goals. The following is that interview, with full audio:
Jillian: You both had successful seasons with the academy. Can you share your thoughts on the run the team had and the successes this season?
Sammy: Oh yeah, I think we had a great fall. We played a lot of good teams. Got the dub. Yeah, we went to [MLS Next] Fest. We had two wins, one loss. We we learned from it, and then spring season, we had this tournament, Snow Bowl. I think we did pretty good. We played some tough opponents from Europe, and yeah, I think we did pretty good. We faced a lot of a lot of problems, but I think we dealt with it, and yeah, we lost in the final. But it was a good experience, and we learned from it. And yeah, GA Cup was the same. We made it to the Round of 16, lost in pens, but yeah, like like I said, we learned from it. Same with playoffs. I think we we beat the number one seed, Albion, playing a year up. Tough game, but yeah, we managed to get the win, and but next round we lost in pens against Atlanta, but yeah.
Abdoulaye: Just to recap on what Sammy said, I feel like it was a season with many ups and downs. I feel like we showed how we can face adversity at different times during the season. In the fall, I feel like we started well. We played really good teams, and we showed how good we are as a collective. During the spring, we faced many good teams, had tough losses, but as a team, we stuck together. And Pete [McDonnell] instilled in us that we have to stick together as a team if we want to, you know, win big and have big results during these types of tournaments. And during tournaments, it’s so important that you stick as a team because you face a lot of adversity, whether you go a man down, you’re trailing 1-0, or you know a player can’t make it or something like that. It’s good to just stay positive, and I think we showed that throughout the season. Overall, we didn’t come back with silverware, but I feel like it was a good season, and there’s so many things we learned.
Jillian: And talking about Coach Pete McDonnell, I know he has moved on to new ventures, but what kind of impact did playing under him have on you guys?
Abdoulaye: Pete… I feel like he was a great coach for me personally. He showed me different life lessons that I didn’t have before I encountered him. He told me to stay calm like under pressure because I was usually the type of player to have a heavy, like, a hot head, and let things get to me quite easily. He told me to stay calm during that, and he would use the term “take the shackles off,” which meant just like play free and play to my best ability. Because sometimes during the season, I went like a period where I was playing safe and kind of conservative, but Pete instilled in me to just play free, and then that’s how I play my best football.
Sammy: Yeah, he was a great coach for me too. He helped me individually, and he helped me to grow as a teammate too. Yeah, but as a team, I think he helped us to stay together, and he liked when we had problems, and he liked for us to talk about our problems with our teammates, and just like grow together as a team. He always said it was our team, so we had to grow, like as a team, together. And he didn’t want the coaches to help us too. He wanted us to grow individually and as a team together. And yeah, that’s mostly what he wanted us to do.
Jillian: And then for your efforts during the academy season, you both got named as MLS Next All Stars. Great honor. Can you talk about that honor for you and that opportunity you get?
Abdoulaye: Yeah, of course. I feel like it’s a great honor to be named amongst the best players in the U.S. for our collective age groups. Of course, it’s a great opportunity to present ourselves in front of a huge, you know, fan base that’s going to be in North Carolina and to represent our families and most importantly our club, and show the relentless work we put in week in and week out during the season, and just show it on the big stage at the MLS Next All Star Match.
Sammy: Yeah, like Abdoulaye said, I think we did pretty good during the season, and yeah, we’re really grateful to be a part of the All Star game, and yeah, just ready to go there and show what we can do.
Jillian: And of course, you’ve been with Union II, and you make your pro debuts. Very exciting for you. Just talk about what that means for you to step on the field and make those debuts.
Sammy: It felt really good. I mean, it’s what I wanted since I was a kid, and yeah, it just felt like a dream, to be honest… it felt really good.
Abdoulaye: To touch on Sammy’s point, I feel like ever since I stepped foot here at the Union, the goal was to, you know, play professional football here at the club, and I feel like I’ve kind of achieved my goal in a sense. But I know there’s so much more hard work that has to be done to get to the first team, which I want to do. And obviously, second team is a great accomplishment, but there’s so much work that has to be done. I have to continue to work hard and keep putting the effort in during trainings and practices to eventually, you know, earn a starting spot and keep having an impact on the second team.
Jillian: Do you feel like it’s been much of an adjustment at all, or has it been pretty seamless going up to Union II?
Abdoulaye: I would say yeah, it’s been pretty different compared to the academy. Of course, the speed of play and you know the fitness levels required to play at such a high speed constantly. The coaches demand a lot from us young kids, especially because we’re the youngest. And you know it’s different compared to the academy, but I feel like it’s a challenge that we need at this point of our careers, and we can just learn from it and grow from it and just become better players from this experience.
Sammy: Yeah, like Abdoulaye said, it wasn’t really different, but we had to adjust to like the aggressiveness, the quick speed of play. But yeah, I think the team has welcomed us pretty well, and the coaches, since we’re the young ones, they demand a lot from us, and they just want us to keep pushing and get better every day for the future.
(Club legend Alejandro Bedoya stops by to say “the future right here!” as he points to Sammy and Abdoulaye)
Jillian: And speaking of the future, just one last question for me. Let’s talk about future goals. Just what are your goals for the rest of the season moving forward?
Abdoulaye: For me, obviously, to get minutes, get increasing minutes with the second team. Try to get some starts in here and there. Have an impact on this Next Pro stage, be confident in the way I play with the second team. Maybe during the season, see where I can go if I’m playing well. Try to maybe get a training or two in with the first team, and overall just improve as a player on and off the field, and help my teammates. And even when I come back with the 18s, maybe bring some silverware back home to Philly.
Sammy: Yeah, same for me, like Abdoulaye said, I want to consistently practice well every day. Hopefully, get some minutes, impact when I’m on the field, and if I go back with the 18s, you know, bring some silverware back, and yeah, try to help my team as much as I can.
I feel as though I say this often with the Union Academy and Union II, but the future is bright. You can follow Sammy and Abdoulaye’s progress as Union II get set to take on Columbus Crew 2 this Saturday at 6:00 PM on the road.
Main article photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union II
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