Fidel Barajas reflects on game-winning performance for Real Salt Lake

He may only be 17 years old but Real Salt Lake star Fidel Barajas looks right at home in MLS. The Sacramento-born midfielder joined the club from USL Championship side Charleston Battery over the off-season and has impressed in his first few top flight appearances.

He came off the bench against Inter Miami in his team’s 2024 opener and picked up a more minutes in games against St Louis City and Colorado Rapids. However it was last weekend, with Diego Luna away on international duty, that Barajas got the opportunity to feature from the start and he provided a match-winning performance for Pablo Mastreoni’s side.

Barajas played the full 90 minutes on the left of midfield, setting up both goals in RSL’s turnaround victory against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The first assist, in particular, demonstrated Barajas’ playmaking talents; driving through the midfield and slipping a neat disguised pass through for Anderson Julio to finish.

Reflecting on his contribution, Barajas said: “It was a really good experience, the perfect opportunity to be honest in these past four games. The game was really good, we had a difficult first half but the second half started leaning towards us and luckily I got to get on the scoresheet with two assists.”

Barajas feeling settled after productive RSL preseason

After impressing across two seasons with Charleston, winning USL Champions Young Player of the Year in 2023, Barajas drew attention from clubs across MLS and Liga MX. The 17-year-old has represented both USMNT and Mexico at youth levels but opted to stay in the US for the first big move of his career.

He signed a three-year deal with RSL in January, with the option of a further two years included in the contract, and took part in the first team’s preseason training camp in Portugal. Reflecting on his quick start to life in MLS, Barajas points to the experience gained on that European trip.

“I’m young, I was nervous and I didn’t know what to expect. They brought up different players from the youths and the second team, who are about my age, so that made me feel more comfortable. By the second and third game, and coming back here from Portugal, I felt like I was comfortable with everyone and wasn’t thinking of myself as some 17-year-old kid. I was like everyone else, just another player doing their job.”

Now, just a month into his first season in MLS, Barajas looks like the next young prodigy plucked from USL by Real Salt Lake. Pablo Mastroeni’s well-drilled 4-2-3-1 system relies on the presence of a few hard-working mavericks to provide the cutting edge in attack. Last season’s break-through star Diego Luna fitted that bill and Barajas is looking to follow in his footsteps.

Luna returns to the squad for Saturday’s visit of St. Louis City but Barajas has made a real case for his continued inclusion in the starting XI. Mastreoni will be aware of the need to protect the 17-year-old but he has also shown a willingness to give opportunities to young players with big futures.