Building Better Youth Soccer Players | Luis Robles

What does better player development actually look like in American youth soccer?In this episode of Chasing the Game: Youth Soccer in America, Liron Unreich and Matt Tartaglia talk with Luis Robles, MLS NEXT Technical Director and former New York Red Bulls goalkeeper, about his path through the game and how that experience now shapes his view of youth development in the United States.The conversation covers resilience, leadership, goalkeeping, the sacrifices families make in travel soccer, and why MLS NEXT matters in the broader player-development landscape.This episode is for soccer parents, coaches, and players who want to understand how elite development is changing in the U.S. and what values still matter most underneath the structure.(00:00) - Chapter 1 (00:00) - - Luis Robles on learning soccer late and almost choosing baseball (00:00) - - From immigrant family to USMNT and MLS Cup champion (00:00) - - Becoming a soccer parent and seeing pay-to-play up close (00:00) - - The grind of travel soccer and family sacrifices (00:00) - - What MLS NEXT is and why it matters (00:00) - - Can U.S. soccer build better pathways for kids? (00:00) - - Luis on goalkeeping, resilience, and identity (00:00) - - Hopes for the next generation of players Click here to view the episode transcript.