Terms such as “pioneer” and “trailblazer” often are mentioned too loosely in sports, but with an athlete like Loradana Paletta, it’s difficult to argue those descriptors.

Paletta , a 14-year-old soccer player from Syosset, became the first girl to play on the boys NYCFC MLS Next team. MLS Next is an elite youth league operated by Major League Soccer, with teams beginning at age 13.

This summer, Paletta, a midfielder, played on the United States U-17 Women’s National Team in the 4 Nations Tournament in Mexico City, competing against Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. Paletta started the majority of games, despite being three years younger than some of her teammates. USA won the tournament.

Before leaving for Mexico City, Paletta became one of the youngest athletes in American sports history

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