There has never been a shortage of conversation about Da’vian Kimbrough’s future.
He signed his first professional contract at just 13 years, five months, and 13 days old, becoming the youngest soccer player ever in the United States to sign a pro contract.
Since then, questions about his international future and development have followed him every time he’s stepped on the field.
But for Kimbrough, the future does not happen without putting in the work today.
His loan move to North Texas SC this season has given him an opportunity to focus less on what could eventually happen and more on what he can accomplish today.
That work recently produced a milestone nearly three years in the making - his first professional goal.
The now 16-year-old Kimbrough found the back of the net in stoppage time of North Texas SC’s 3-1 victory over Tacoma Defiance, putting the finishing touch on a crucial win while finally checking off a personal milestone he had been chasing since turning pro in 2023.
“It felt great. It was kind of a relief, kind of getting it off my chest,” Kimbrough said. “I've been working for that moment for a long time, and hopefully there's more to come.”
With his first professional goal behind him, Kimbrough is already looking toward the next one and more.
“First of many, hopefully.”
The next step
Kimbrough arrived in Texas already knowing the demands of being a professional soccer player.
He made his debut with Sacramento Republic on October 1st, 2023, becoming the youngest player ever to play in the USL Championship.
He’s trained, played, and traveled with players sometimes double his age, but three years later, the challenge is different.
A loan move from his parent club to North Texas SC has given Kimbrough an environment where he can keep developing as a pro while competing for meaningful minutes.
“I could tell they pride themselves on development and mentality, and I think that's a good thing to have,” Kimbrough said. “MLS NEXT Pro, I think it's a good league, especially for development. At the stage where I'm at, I think it was a good step for me.”
Part of that confidence came from talking to players he already knew who have found success in MLS NEXT Pro.
Kimbrough pointed to Matthew Arana of Houston Dynamo 2 and Vinny Garcia of Ventura County FC as two players he had spoken with about playing in MLS NEXT Pro.
“[Arana] was telling me that it's definitely a good step. So, I took his advice.” Kimbrough recalled of his loan move to NTSC.
The move to Texas has also reunited Kimbrough with a familiar face from the beginning of his professional journey; in fact, it was the very person who gave him his debut.
Mark Briggs, now an assistant coach with FC Dallas, was Sacramento Republic's head coach when Kimbrough signed his first pro contract and played his first minutes as a pro.
For Kimbrough, having Briggs nearby again means a lot.
“It's definitely special. It was a special moment for me back in Sacramento, and I'll cherish it forever,” Kimbrough remembered.
“It's cool to see him here, and he taught me a lot in my time in Sacramento, and hopefully he can teach me more while I'm here as well.”
Far from home
While Kimbrough has been around professionally for close to three years now, the move to the Lone Star State has brought a different kind of development.
For the first time, he's living away from his home and family in Northern California.
Having been called up to multiple youth national-team camps with both the United States and Mexico, Kimbrough is used to being away from home, but living on his own has introduced a new level of independence.
“Yeah, it is my first time away from home, especially living alone,” Kimbrough expressed. “I've been to the national team camps where you're gone for weeks at a time. So it's nothing too crazy, but it's definitely an adjustment.”
Kimbrough is still in school and has had to learn how to balance taking online high school classes with the schedule of a professional player.
“The harder part is probably balancing training and then school, because I'm still in school, obviously,” Kimbrough stated.
“I'm online now, so it's pretty easy trying to figure out the balance in between the two.
His parents continue to visit and help him navigate that transition, including teaching him a few things in the kitchen.
“My parents come down a pretty decent amount, and they'll cook for me and teach me some things. That helps a lot too.”
And when Kimbrough gets to choose what's on the menu, the answer is simple.
“I'd say some tacos, I can't lie.”
Two Countries, One Dream
One of the biggest questions surrounding the young striker is which country will he ultimately represent?
He’s played and produced for both countries, winning the 2025 U-16 CONCACAF Championship with Mexico and earning the tournament's Golden Boot, and most recently scoring for the United States against Argentina in the 2026 Vertex Cup in April.
Social media was set ablaze last month after Mexico’s Youth National Team Director Andres Lillini made a statement to Mexico’s RECORD newspaper that Kimbrough had made his decision and would represent Mexico going forward.
“I met with [his] parents, and I told them that we wanted to bring him into the [2026 U-17] World Cup process while playing a year up, but that he had to make a decision because we were going to follow him closely,” Lillini revealed.
“His mother told me they were going to think about it, and two or three days later she told me it was okay. He returned to preseason and was convinced he wanted to play for Mexico. He wanted to do it.”
“It’s great news for us because we believe he is a very talented center forward for his age. We took him to several international tournaments while playing a year up, and the kid rose to the occasion.”
Kimbrough declined to comment when asked directly about Lillini’s statements that he had chosen Mexico.
Instead, his approach has been to take advantage of every international opportunity placed in front of him.
“Every opportunity is a chance to better myself, get more exposure,” Kimbrough expressed.
“I have to make a choice eventually.”
For now, he remains involved with Mexico's youth setup and was scheduled to participate in their U-17 World Cup camp before sustaining a muscle injury.
“It's a great feeling for me to be able to be consistently called up to the camps; it shows the work that I've been putting in, and I'm ready to represent and give my all.”
Kimbrough also has someone on his team facing a similar national team dilemma: Benji Flowers, who recently became the youngest player to sign with FC Dallas and is scheduled to transfer to the Premier League side Chelsea FC once he turns eighteen.
Flowers is also a Mexican-American dual national, with his mother being from the Mexican state of Durango.
“We're kind of going through the same type of pathway. It's good to be able to talk with him.”
“I've been telling him about my experiences with both [countries]. He's open to representing both; he's told me, so it's kind of cool to see.”
Kimbrough has also found motivation in seeing Mexican-American players with backgrounds similar to his own reach the game's biggest stage this summer.
Watching players with ties to both countries, such as Brian Gutierrez, Obed Vargas, and Alejandro Zendejas, compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer gave the 16-year-old another goal he hopes to accomplish one day.
“It's inspiring to see because there's a lot of Mexican-Americans like myself out there that are probably dreaming to play in the World Cup, as I am,” Kimbrough said.
“It's great to see that they're getting the chance to do it and that hopefully one day we can as well.”
Focused on the Now
Expectations have followed Kimbrough since the beginning of his professional career.
But with the MLS NEXT Pro regular season reaching its home stretch, the young striker is embracing the work in front of him now and focusing on helping North Texas SC reach the playoffs.
As of this writing, North Texas SC sits 10th in the Western Conference, just one point behind seventh and eighth place for the final two playoff spots.
“It's crunch time right now, so we're gonna try our best to keep moving forward and keep getting points, and hopefully we can secure [a playoff spot],” Kimbrough said of the Western Conference playoff race.
It is exactly the type of competitive environment Kimbrough expected when he arrived in Dallas.
“Everyone here wants to win and is very competitive, and that's the type of environment you want to be in.”
North Texas SC will also have the benefit of playing in their new home at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium as the playoff race intensifies.
For Kimbrough, the support he's experienced there has added another element to his time with the club.
“It's amazing. Especially all the fans coming out to watch us play, it's a little bit crazy, but it's a great feeling to have, knowing they came to watch you,” Kimbrough exclaimed.
“The fans give you a great amount of energy, and it really helps.”
And if a few more goals come along the way, Kimbrough already knows what comes next.
“I have a lot of celebrations in mind.”
