The player Brenner Souza da Silva is today, as well as the player he's expected to grow into, garnered the FC Cincinnati goal scorer noteworthy recognition from MLS-types on Tuesday.
Brenner, 21, was named Tuesday to MLSSoccer.com's "22 Under 22" list, a sought-after designation reserved for 22 of the league's top rising stars.
The Brazilian forward, who has scored seven goals, one assist, and is one score away from setting a new FC Cincinnati single-season record for goals, checked in on the list at No. 14. He was FC Cincinnati's only player on the list.
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Topping the list was Ricardo Pepi, who has exploded onto the MLS and international scenes in recent months thanks to a rampant run of goal-scoring form for FC Dallas and the U.S. men's national team.
FC Dallas was the runaway leader in terms of players on the list with four. Pepi was joined on the list by Jesús Ferreira (No. 9), Paxton Pomykal (No. 13), and Justin Che (No. 16).
D.C. United, New York Red Bulls, Los Angeles Galaxy and New York City FC all had two players listed.
Brenner was brought to FC Cincinnati at great cost. He's commanded a seven-figure salary in 2021, and the club reportedly paid a transfer fee of upward of $13 million for him.
There's some debate locally as to whether Brenner's production has justified the price tag as his finishing has been less-than-clinical at times this season. After scoring in FCC's April 17 season opener at Nashville SC, he was held without a goal for 10 matches.
That streak ended with a two-goal outing in a mid-July loss to CF Montreal, which was then followed up by four more matches without goals, although he's been more consistent in recent weeks.
Still, there's no denying Brenner's potential.
Brenner arrived in the offseason to great expectations as not just the marquee signing in FC Cincinnati history but as one of the most anticipated in MLS history.
Officially confirmed for a move to FCC on Feb. 9, Brenner was brought to the club for what some calculate to be the second-highest transfer fee on an incoming player in MLS history.
FC Cincinnati last had a player named to a "22 Under 22" list about a year ago, when now-former FCC fan favorite Frankie Amaya was listed at No. 15.
Amaya later demanded, and received, a trade away from FC Cincinnati.
Prior to joining MLS, FC Cincinnati had just one player listed to such a ranking during its days in what's now called the USL Championship. On-loan playmaker Victor Mansaray, then of the Seattle Sounders, joined FCC briefly and had been named the USL's No. 1 Under-20 player prior to his loan deal to come to Cincinnati.
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