Fagundez cites locker room as reason for re-signing with the Revs

As a talented goal scorer who has earned caps with Uruguay’s youth teams, Diego Fagundez has surely drawn interest from clubs around the world. Regardless, he’s sticking with his hometown team, the New England Revolution.

On Wednesday, the Revolution announced that they had signed the 20-year-old midfielder to a new contract, which was reported by Frank Dell’Apa as being a three year deal with an option. For Fagundez, the decision to continue with the Revolution came down to the locker room atmosphere.

"I’ve been having fun with the team," Fagundez told RevolutionSoccer.net. "I love the group of guys that we have in the locker room. Everyone’s really nice. It wasn’t easy, thinking about it all. But when you have a special group like you do, good friends like you do, it’s kind of an easy one to decide."

Signed to a contract at age 15, Fagundez made an impact in his first professional appearance by drawing a penalty and scoring a goal against Chivas USA on Aug. 6, 2011. It was a dream start for the Massachusetts native, and one that he still remembers vividly today.

"I remember everything about that game," Fagundez, who was 16 at the time, said. "From knowing I’m going to dress to knowing that I might have a chance [to go in], it was one of those feelings that you have to live it to know what it feels like."

It hasn’t always been perfect for Fagundez, who has endured his fair share of hardships. The youngster spent long-spells out of the Revolution’s starting XI and failed to make Uruguay’s roster for the South American Youth Championship held in Jan. 2016.

Through it all, Fagundez has shown a dedication to getting better, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, he has put up impressive numbers as he has scored 28 goals in 118 career games. Most notably, he’s the youngest player in MLS history to net 25 goals.

With stats like that, you’d think that Fagundez would have an inflated ego. The opposite is true, however, as Fagundez is quick to pay tribute to his teammates.

"Without a team, I wouldn’t be able to do those things," Fagundez noted. "Even though I scored all those goals, it’s all the help the team gave me by giving me those assists."