Maximus Rigby came through the esteemed ranks of Leeds United, signed by the club at the age of nine, playing alongside future Premier League talents like Anthony Gordon, Jarell Quansah and Oscar Bobb. He secured a coveted place in the Leeds academy at 16 but was released two years later in 2021.
Faced with the pivotal decision that confronts countless young footballers, Maximus chose a to follow the path to the States. Echoing the 16% of apprentices who pursue higher education, he opted to combine football and academics, partnering with FirstPoint USA. This decision led him to NCAA DI Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania, where he secured a scholarship, studying business marketing while showcasing his skills for the Red Flash men's soccer program.
Four years later, Rigby has emerged from Saint Francis with a degree and a stellar college soccer career to his name. A consistent starter throughout his tenure, he ascended to team captain in the 2023-24 season, earning accolades such as All-NEC Second Team Selection, CSC Academic All-District Team, and NEC-All Rookie Team. In his senior year, he helped the Red Flash to the NEC Championship semi-finals and beyond the pitch, Maximus has also cultivated a substantial online presence, amassing over 64,000 YouTube subscribers, with much of his content chronicling his unique college soccer experience.
At a time when many talented young players are facing the same fate as he experienced, Maximus told the BBC his story:
"As a kid you don't understand the dynamic of how the football industry works when you sign at that age, especially being such a high level," Rigby says.
"You're like 'wow, this is a pretty straightforward line, all I have to do is keep playing and I'm going to be there in a few years'. You realise along the way it's not like that.
"As you get older you start to see lads you've been with for a good period of time get released, whether they are too small, not technical, whatever the reason, then the questions start to come around you. You start to feel the pressure, this isn't a game you just sit around and enjoy any more. That's when it really hits you."
He recalls how things got "really competitive" when Leeds won promotion back to the Premier League in 2020.
"I was parking next to Lamborghinis in my Toyota," he smiled. "It shows you are so close but so far. You're training with guys that are famous millionaires, but there's that element of they are just human.
"When you're with them you think 'I can strive for this, for sure' – it does motivate you and you can see this is not too far away if you get a bit lucky or put in the work."
With his future undecided, he realised professional football in England might not work out and rather than put all his eggs in one basket, he attended a number of trials and was given an introduction to FirstPoint USA, who work with a number of professional academies and players across the country. This opened the door to the increasingly popular route to the US, which he describes as being an initial culture shock.
"Going out there you have no idea what you are about to do. But give it a week or two and you make friends, learn so much, and you're so busy you don't miss home, you just soak in an amazing opportunity.
"I think a lot of people get turned off by the whole school aspect, but I think people underestimate it. You learn a lot. I have team-mates from all over the world.
"There's a big misconception about the style and level of the football out here. Some guys are 22 or 23 and have professional experience in France or Germany. There's a guy here who played in Serie A and suddenly Sheff Wed under-18s isn't so impressive.
"It's been a blast, a crazy journey but one I'm thankful for, with a lot of lessons along the way."
Extracts taken from the BBC article 'Swapping Champions League dreams for the American dream'
