By Gus Saltonstall
Julian Hall is setting the American soccer scene on fire.
The 18-year-old forward has 14 goals for the New York Red Bulls this season and made his debut for the United States Men’s National Team last month.
Hall did more than get on the field, though.
He scored in each of his first three games for the U.S. National Team. First against Peru, then Chile, and finally against America’s fiercest soccer rival, Mexico. Hall is the youngest men’s player to accomplish the feat of scoring in his first three games for a national team since a player you might recognize:
Pele.
Along with these impressive soccer accomplishments, there is another crucially important element of Hall’s biography. He is an Upper West Sider.
Hall has lived in the neighborhood since he was seven years old and still resides on the Upper West Side in that same apartment with his parents.
West Side Rag recently got the chance to speak with Hall about growing up on the Upper West Side, the experience of getting called up to the national team, and how he thinks about playing forward.
WSR: How long have you lived on the Upper West Side, and how would you describe the neighborhood to a teammate who was unfamiliar with it?
Hall: I was born and raised in Harlem. I lived there until I was seven, and then I moved to the Upper West Side. To describe it to someone who wasn’t familiar with the neighborhood, I would say it’s becoming more modern. There’s lots of nice, new things coming to the neighborhood. It’s lively. There are lots of fields and schools. That could describe a lot of Manhattan, but growing up in the neighborhood was really a privilege, especially as a kid. It’s been nothing but great.
WSR: Were there certain fields in Harlem or on the Upper West Side that you grew up playing on?
Hall: There’s one near West 102nd Street and Amsterdam. There’s also Riverside Park, which is the main one. It’s great in the summer. I’d say Riverside Park is the best one.
WSR: Sometimes growing up in New York City, especially in soccer, can be framed as a negative due to seasonality and the restraints on field space. Do you feel that growing up in the city shaped the type of soccer player you are?
Hall: 100 percent. It was sometimes tough getting to certain places, and it kind of built my love for it. My mom and I obviously sacrificed a lot of time. For me, it made me want to play even more, because you always had to travel a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes to play. That definitely shaped who I am today.
WSR: Did you play any other sports growing up?
Hall: I always loved basketball and football. I played basketball more. I always grew up playing and loving basketball, but soccer always had that pull. I’m also not the tallest guy, so that might not have worked out. Soccer was the perfect sport for me. I wasn’t thinking about the specifics when I was younger, so it was really just the love of the game that I followed.
WSR: You mentioned your mom earlier; can you talk about the importance of your parents’ support?
Hall: She was extremely important. I probably wouldn’t be able to do anything near what I’ve done so far if it wasn’t for her. She sacrificed time and a lot of money to put me in this position. I’m going to do whatever it takes to give back to her and shine some light on her, because she deserves it.
WSR: Can you share some of your specific favorite places on the Upper West Side or in Manhattan?
Hall: If you asked me that before the soccer field question, I probably would have said Riverside Park because that’s basically where I spent all my time. I would say my favorite spot in Manhattan is probably Pier 40 because that’s where I spent even more time in terms of soccer, and just hanging out around that area. Basically, my whole childhood was shaped around there.
WSR: I have a longer, more soccer-specific question for you. People talk about quote-on-quote simple goals, whether it’s tap-ins, rebounds, cleaning up a set piece, which lends itself to players who are described as “always being in the right spot,” or “the ball always finds him.” I see fans describe you in that way, as always being in the right spot. Can you talk about how much of a skill that is? And how it isn’t luck to consistently do that. How do you think about space and runs to score those types of goals when you’re playing striker?
Hall: It’s tough for people to put themselves in that position. When you’re watching on TV, it looks very easy, but when you’re watching on TV, you’re mainly looking at where the ball is. When you’re the guy on the field, you have to predict where you think the ball is going to be. That is so much more intellectual than physical. Like you said, I don’t think anybody should downplay any striker that has that skill. It’s really hard to score simple goals. You’re always having to think a couple of steps ahead. Players that have that, it’s special.
WSR: Do you have a favorite type of goal to score?
Hall: I have scored a lot of tap-ins this year. So, I think I have to say any goal in the box is my favorite.
WSR: Are you bothered if you’re not overly involved in your team’s build-up play in a game — do you want to get touches on the ball to start a match to get comfortable – or it’s more about making those runs?
Hall: It depends on the team you’re on. Every team is different. For us [Red Bulls], we play a lot of football, and we’re on the ball a lot, so a lot of my job once we break the initial press is to be there to make runs in behind and be there in the box. So, I wouldn’t say it bothers me to not be involved in the build-up. Everyone has to make a sacrifice for the team, and I try to put the team’s needs before my own. I’ve got no problems scoring a million tap-ins.
WSR: And, congratulations on the national team debut and scoring multiple times. What did it mean to you to both play for the U.S. National Team and to score the goals?
Hall: It meant the world to me. I grew up watching the national team as a kid. To be able to represent the country and to make an impact in those games, it meant the world to me. I’m super grateful.
WSR: Who were you most excited to share the field with, especially of those older players, for the first time?
Hall: Tyler Adams. He’s a Red Bulls guy. It was my first time meeting him, and it was something I was looking forward to. He’s an amazing guy. An amazing player. That was another awesome part.
WSR: Can you talk a little bit about the excitement of being part of this new group of young players coming into the U.S. National Team, but also how you handle the pressure that comes with that?
Hall: A lot of the young guys came into either the MLS [Major League Soccer] or another league at a young age, so we’re taught to handle pressure at an earlier stage than maybe other people. I think we all did a really good job handling that. You see a lot of these guys work so hard, whether it was with MLS Next or second teams at their clubs, to get to that point of making it to the national team. You could see the talent and the skill of every single player. And they all deserved the call ups and performed well.
WSR: How was the experience of playing under the national team manager Mauricio Pochettino, and was it your first time meeting him in person?
Hall: It was my first time meeting him at the camp. It was amazing. He’s a mastermind, you could say. He’s one of the best coaches in the world. To be able to be coached by him, it was an honor. It was an amazing experience.
For those hoping to get a chance to see Hall play, the New York Red Bulls have six more regular season matches left before playoffs begin. You can watch them at their home stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, or on Apple TV.
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He reminds me of Wayne Gretzky