A two-hour one-way commute may sound sad to some, but for Matthew Dos Santos and his mother, Ana, it has built a bond that has brought them closer together and laid the foundation that has helped the 17-year-old become a star for the Red Bull team in New York.
Every day to train, since he first joined the Red Bull Academy nine years ago, Dos Santos and his mother, Ana, have traveled from Sandy Hook, Conn., to the team’s training facility in New Jersey. It gave them a chance to connect and made his meteoric rise this season even more special.
“I think that’s what makes it so special for me to be where I am now, because that two-hour ride really helps my relationship with my mom and dad. [Mauro Cesar Dos Santos],” Dos Santos told The Post.
Dos Santos was back in the Red Bulls’ starting lineup on Sunday in their 3-0 loss to CF Montréal after playing so well in the first two weeks of the season that the Red Bulls had no choice but to upgrade him from a second-team contract to an MLS deal. If they didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to play for the first team all season.
The youngster played 61 minutes and was effective in moving the ball with five of six accurate long balls.
He helped create a chance in the 41st minute when he sent the ball to Adri Mehmeti.
Mehmeti’s title is blocked.
This comes after he helped set up Julian Hall’s goal in the second game of the season against New England.
There is much to appreciate about Dos Santos’ performance on the pitch, but Red Bulls U18 coach Jonathan Rhodes told The Post that the “secret sauce” that has helped him grow in his career has been the family support the young defender has had.
“He’s got a good network around him. His family is very stable with him,” Rhodes said. “Whenever he has challenges at school, they have always supported him. … There are many ups and downs in all their work, but in his young career at the academy and the first team here, his parents, his network around him, are very supportive, and stable. They don’t put too much pressure on him when things go well, they don’t trust him too much.”
“I see how humble and dedicated he is every day,” said Ana about her son. “He works incredibly hard, respects his teammates and coaches, and is always focused on improving both as a player and as a person. I hope people who watch him play can see his passion for the game and the hard work that brought him here.”
Sunday’s loss was the first setback for a young Red Bulls side after winning the first two weeks of the season. Despite scoring and controlling possession 67 percent to 33 percent, CF Montréal scored three goals on goaltender Ethan Horvath.
Prince Owusu scored from the penalty spot in the eighth minute and former Red Bull midfielder Wiki Carmona scored in the 44th and 68th minutes for CF Montréal.
