GOAL spoke with Forfor about his aspirations as a footballer, and his quick rise through the academy in 2025 into MLS NEXT Pro
Prince Forfor might just be next up.
A versatile 16-year-old left-sided playmaker, the U.S. youth international and Columbus Crew starlet has burst onto the scene in 2025. This summer, he was named MLS NEXT All-Star MVP and earned Best XI honors at the well esteemed Generation Adidas Cup in his age group, while becoming a topic of conversation around young, budding domestic talent from within the league.
Forfor has already begun to make a name for himself within the MLS NEXT setup. The left back reportedly is generating "a lot of interest from Europe," and is on the radar of scouts and clubs around the world – and for good reason. He's a dynamic player who excels in 1v1 situations, using pace, size, and strength to best the opposing attackers coming at him. On the ball, Forfor told GOAL he "likes to go out, and put pressure on people from the first minute."
He idolizes Alphonso Davies and aims to follow the path the Canada star took when he left MLS for Europe as a teenager. A former Vancouver Whitecaps Homegrown, Davies broke out as a winger before transitioning to fullback, and in 2025, Forfor has made the same switch – embracing it and making it his own.
"The first step is definitely signing my first contract with the Crew. Definitely start with Crew 2, and then hopefully be able to get a Homegrown contract. I see myself playing in Lower Field in front of the fans, just… creating memories," he said.
At the All-Star Event in July, he told MLS Season Pass analyst Taylor Twellman that he wants to one day play in Europe. He has already shown strong potential at the youth levels.
GOAL scouts the teenager who could be the next breakout star from the Crew's ranks.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWhere it all began
The Columbus Crew are a standard bearer within MLS – they're an organization that continues to produce results, players, and silverware.
Legendary figures across the MLS and American soccer scene found their footing within the club, from Chad Marshall and Frankie Hedjuk to Brian McBride, Darlington Nagbe, and Cucho Hernandez. In the modern MLS era, they've been a club that has shown itself to be a launchpad for domestic players to the national team as well.
Goalkeepers Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen, midfielders Wil Trapp and Aidan Morris, and defender Max Arfsten have all propelled their international careers within the MLS club.
Now, Forfor is looking to do the same.
He joined the Crew's ranks as a youth baller and has worked his way up through the system, playing with the U16s and U18s, before moving into their MLS NEXT Pro setup this season.
"The Crew, there's a very clear pathway that we see every day, especially with our Homegrown, like our very young Homegrowns, players getting signed, like Tristan Brown, who came from the Academy," Forfor said. "So, I mean, it's a very clear pathway."
He's earned rave reviews along his way through it all, but 2025 has been the real breakout.
AdvertisementColumbus CrewThe big break
Forfor's big moment came in July, though, when he was informed of his MLS NEXT All-Star selection. All of the hard work, patience, and dedication to the game paid off – though he, himself, didn't expect the call to come.
"I mean, that was, that was a very big moment," he explained. "I think that for me, that was one of my goals coming into the season, something I saw the other players did last year, and I thought was a very cool experience. So it was something, I would say, I was kind of surprised. But, I mean, I was, I was very happy to get the call-up."
Everything proceeded to go to plan, too. In fact, it was a picture-perfect evening, capped off by Forfor being handed the MLS NEXT All-Star MVP award after helping lead the Eastern Conference to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the West. Forfor himself managed to get onto the scoresheet, scoring the fourth goal of the match for the East.
"I mean, it was, it was such a great atmosphere in Texas that night," he said. "It was a lot of people in attendance, you know, a lot of people watching you under the lights, you know, stuff you dream of as a kid, you know. So it was a very great experience.
"I think it kind of, kind of caps off my season on a very good note, because it's something I didn't go into the game, I didn't imagine it, or, like I had zero idea, or even consider that I could win it. So, after the game, when it happened, I was very, very proud. Yeah, it was a very great moment."
Biggest strengths
Forfor's biggest asset is his versatility. He grew up as a forward, but has transitioned to left back, which sees him combine the qualities of both positions into and attacking-minded fullback.
In the MLS NEXT All-Star Game this year, his superb goal came from a rising run on the left side of the pitch that saw him instinctually capture a rebound. He appeared in seconds, following the balls trajectory before smashing it into the back of the net.
"I think every game I go into I think I try to focus on my first action with the ball, so maybe connecting my first pass and then building off that," he said. "So I think after I connected my first pass, I was able to settle in and then calm myself down and just let the game flow. I mean, when you're playing with talented players around the league, it is easy, you know?"
His speed and agility are, by all means, an asset – but his intelligence in that moment to make the crashing run is a sign of situational awareness that isn't always present at youth levels.
For the Crew, he brings a unique presence to the left back position and is becoming a must-watch prospect as a result.
Room for improvement
Forfor knows he's not a finished product yet. He has a lot to learn, and it's still in the early days of establishing himself within the Crew's ranks and earning his spot, regularly, on their MLS NEXT Pro roster. Still, though, he has lofty goals.
"I would say, for me, I'll just try to stay with them [Crew 2] as long as possible. I've earned a couple of roster spots. I was able to play a couple of games with them," he said. "So I would say, just keep going with that and try to air myself more minutes and, yeah, break through with the team."
Versatility can also be a weakness, as attacking-minded defenders may be caught out of position or favor one side of the pitch. Fortunately, Forfor has a role model within the Crew system in Arfsten, and an idol on the world stage he can model his game after in Davies.