Inter Miami signs 16-year-old Santiago Morales, son of former MLS star Javier Morales

Inter Miami’s youth movement continues.

The team announced on Tuesday the signing of 16-year-old academy product Santiago “Santi” Morales, the son of former MLS star and Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales, to a contract through the 2027 season, with an option for 2028.

The Argentine American midfielder is the seventh player promoted to the first team from the youth academy.

“Santi is a promising young midfielder who has been here since the start, growing within our development pathway; he has impressed with the academy and Inter Miami CF II, and we believe he has significant potential,” said sporting director Chris Henderson. “Santi has shown us that he can compete at a high level.”

Morales, 16, joined the academy in 2019 and has climbed through the youth ranks making appearances for the Club’s U-13, U-14, U-15, and U-17 squads. He starred during Inter Miami Academy U-15’s season in 2022, earning MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs MVP honors, leading the team to the MLS NEXT Cup title, becoming national champions for the first time in club history.

He made his professional debut on June 11, coming off the bench for Inter Miami II during a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC II and has gone on to play 10 games.

“Signing a professional contract has been a dream I’ve had for as long as I can remember and being able to sign it with this amazing club is something I’m really happy about,” Morales said. “It’s amazing (to be on team with Lionel Messi) because he is someone that we all admire, and hopefully one day I get to play with him.”

Morales has also been a regular at the youth international level for the U.S. youth men’s national teams, with call ups at the U15 and U16 levels. In May he represented the U16s at the 2023 International Dream Cup in Fukushima, Japan, making three appearances, two of them starts, and scored two goals.

As a dual national he would also be eligible to play for Argentina. His first goal is to play in the Under-17 World Cup, and would welcome an invitation from either country. “I have only had the chance until now to play for the U.S., but I don’t close the doors to anyone and both teams would be a dream.”

He joins Noah Allen, Edison Azcona, Benjamin Cremaschi, Ian Fray, David Ruiz and Felipe Valencia as homegrown signings to graduate from the academy to the first team.

“It motivates us, everybody in the academy to be able to see all the young guys that have been in our shoes and are now doing well and playing with the first team,” Morales said. “They tell us to keep working hard, that it’s possible.”

Javier Morales, who retired as a player in 2018, began his career in Argentina and spent 10 years with Real Salt Lake from 2007 to 2016 and one with FC Dallas.