Paxten Aaronson

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Paxten Aaronson
Personal information
Full name Paxten Reid Aaronson [1]
Date of birth (2003-08-26) August 26, 2003 (age 21) [1]
Place of birth Medford, New Jersey, U.S.
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) [1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Colorado Rapids
Number 10
Youth career
2015–2020 Philadelphia Union
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2020–2022 Philadelphia Union II 24 (6)
2021–2022 Philadelphia Union 37 (4)
2023–2025 Eintracht Frankfurt 14 (0)
2023–2025 Eintracht Frankfurt II 1 (0)
2024Vitesse (loan) 14 (4)
2024–2025Utrecht (loan) 33 (8)
2024Jong Utrecht (loan) 1 (0)
2025– Colorado Rapids 1 (0)
International career
2021–2023 United States U20 13 (8)
2023–2024 United States U23 9 (2)
2023– United States 4 (0)
Medal record
Representing Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Men's football
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Runner-up 2025 Canada–United States
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of August 23, 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of June 22, 2025

Paxten Reid Aaronson (born August 26, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids and the United States national team.

Contents

Club career

Philadelphia Union

Aaronson began his career with the Philadelphia Union's YSC Academy and played for the club in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. [2] After five seasons with the academy, Aaronson was called up to the Philadelphia Union II, the Philadelphia Union reserve team in USL Championship. He made his competitive debut for Union II on July 22, 2020, against New York Red Bulls II, as a 67th-minute substitute for Steve Kingue. [3]

In August 2020, Aaronson signed a homegrown contract with the first team beginning in 2021. [4] In May 2021, he made his first team debut with the Union as a substitute in a 3–0 win over the Portland Timbers. [5] Aaronson earned his first start for the Union in August where he scored the Union's equalizing goal against the New England Revolution. [6] His debut goal earned him the league's Goal of the Week honor. [7]

Eintracht Frankfurt

On November 17, 2022, it was announced that the Philadelphia Union and Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt had reached a deal for the transfer of Aaronson. The fee of the deal was reported to be in the region of $4 million (plus add-ons), with a sell-on percentage for the Union also included. [8] On March 19, 2023, Aaronson made his Bundesliga debut, being subbed on in the 82nd minute in a 2–0 loss against Union Berlin. [9]

Loan to Vitesse

On January 31, 2024, the deadline day of the winter transfer window, Aaronson joined Dutch club Vitesse on loan for the rest of the season. [10] Though only playing the last 14 out of the 34 league games for Vitesse, he became the second top goalscorer, with 4 goals, behind Marco van Ginkel with 7 goals. Aaronson was seen as one of the better players of Vitesse in the 2023-2024 season, causing FC Utrecht, among other clubs, to gain interest in him. [11]

Loan to Utrecht

On June 21, 2024, Eintracht announced that Aaronson had extended his contract with the club until 2028, [12] [13] and would subsequently join Dutch side Utrecht on loan for the entire 2024–25 season. [13] [14]

Colorado Rapids

On August 21, 2025, Aaronson returned to Major League Soccer, this time with Colorado Rapids on a five-year designated player contract through 2030. [15] Aaronson was acquired for a club-record transfer fee of $7 million. [16] On August 23, Aaronson made his debut for the Rapids when he came on as a 59th-minute substitute in a 3–0 loss to LA Galaxy. [17]

International career

In June 2022, Aaronson was called up to the United States national under-20 team at the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, where he scored seven goals in seven games, earning him both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot Awards at the tournament. [18]

On January 29, 2023, Aaronson made his senior debut for the United States in a friendly match against Colombia. [19]

On October 8, 2023, Aaronson was called up to the United States under-23 national team ahead of friendlies against Mexico and Japan. [20]

Aaronson was, together with his FC Utrecht teammate Taylor Booth, also called up for the United States soccer team on the 2024 Olympics, appearing four times and scoring twice, in the game against New Zealand, which ended in a 4-1 victory for the United States.

Personal life

Paxten is the younger brother of Leeds United and United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson. [2]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played August 23, 2025 [21]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] ContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Philadelphia Union II 2020 USL Championship 141141
2022 MLS Next Pro 105105
Total246246
Philadelphia Union 2021 MLS 1431 [b] 02 [c] 0173
2022 MLS231101 [c] 0251
Total374101030424
Eintracht Frankfurt 2022–23 Bundesliga 701080
2023–24 Bundesliga70106 [d] 0140
2025–26 Bundesliga00110011
Total140316000231
Vitesse (loan) 2023–24 Eredivisie 144144
Utrecht (loan) 2024–25 Eredivisie33841379
Colorado Rapids 2025 MLS100010
Career total1232282703014124

International

As of match played June 22, 2025 [22]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
United States 202310
202400
2025 30
Total40

Honors

Philadelphia Union

Eintracht Frankfurt

United States U20

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Men's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024: Squad list" (PDF). FIFA . July 24, 2024. p. 15. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Ralph, Matthew (March 29, 2019). "South Jersey high school buzzing over former student's MLS debut". Brotherly Game. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  3. "Philadelphia Union II 1–5 New York Red Bulls II". Soccerway.
  4. "Philadelphia Union Sign Academy Product Paxten Aaronson To A Homegrown Player Contract". philadelphiaunion.com. August 19, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  5. Phil West (May 30, 2021). "Recap: Philadelphia Union 3, Portland Timbers 0". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  6. Jonathan Tannenwald (August 8, 2021). "Union lose 2-1 at New England Revolution: Observations and analysis". inquirer.com. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  7. Dylan Butler (August 12, 2021). "Philadelphia Union's Paxten Aaronson wins AT&T Goal of the Week for Week 18". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  8. Bogert, Tom (November 17, 2022). "Philadelphia Union transfer Paxten Aaronson to Eintracht Frankfurt". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  9. "Paxten Aaronson makes debut for Eintract Frankfurt". apnews.com. The Associated Press. March 20, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
  10. "PAXTEN AARONSON (20) KOMT OVER VAN EINTRACHT FRANKFURT" [PAXTEN AARONSON (20) COMES OVER FROM EINTRACHT FRANKFURT] (in Dutch). Vitesse. February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  11. "Paxten Aaronson dichtbij tijdelijke transfer naar FC Utrecht" [Paxten Aaronson near temporary transfer to FC Utrecht] (in Dutch). UtrechtFans. June 12, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  12. "Paxten Aaronson extends contract". Eintracht Frankfurt. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Frankfurt verlängert mit Aaronson und verleiht ihn nach Utrecht". kicker (in German). June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  14. "Amerikaans international Paxten Aaronson naar FC Utrecht". FC Utrecht (in Dutch). June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  15. "Rapids Acquire U.S. Men's National Team Midfielder Paxten Aaronson as Designated Player". Colorado Rapids . August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  16. "Rapids acquire M Paxten Aaronson for club-record fee". Reuters . August 21, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
  17. "Recap | Paxten Aaronson, Rafael Santos, and Daouda Amadou make Rapids debut in loss against LA Galaxy". Colorado Rapids . August 24, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
  18. 1 2 "U.S. Under-20 Men's Youth National Team Wins Third Straight Concacaf U-20 Championship Title with Strong 6-0 Victory Vs. Dominican Republic". ussoccer.com. July 3, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  19. "Paxten Aaronson makes international debut". eintracht.de. January 29, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  20. "Twenty-three Players Called to U.s. Olympic Men's Soccer Team Training Camp as Preparations for Paris 2024 Kick Off in Phoenix". ussoccer.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  21. Paxten Aaronson at Soccerway
  22. Paxten Aaronson at National-Football-Teams.com
  23. Sigal, Jonathan (November 5, 2022). "Hollywood ending! LAFC win legendary MLS Cup 2022 over Philadelphia Union". Major League Soccer. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  24. "Christopher Nkunku-inspired RB Leipzig beat Eintracht Frankfurt to win DFB Cup". Bundesliga. June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  25. "Aceituno, Azcona y Ordóñez encabezan el XI del Sub-20" (in Spanish). CONCACAF. April 7, 2022. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  26. 1 2 "2022 CU20 individual awards". CONCACAF. July 3, 2022. Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  27. "Paxten Aaronson has been named Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month for the first time". Eredivisie. December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024.