Oakland teen goes from cheering on the Roots to wearing the jersey

Oakland Roots sign 19 year old from Oakland

Oakland Roots signed a new player Thursday, an Oakland teen who grew up as a fan.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Roots signed a new player on Thursday. 

The young soccer player from Oakland is representing his home team, officially signing on to play professionally for the Oakland Roots. 

Ali Elmasnaouy, a 19-year-oldborn and raised in Oakland and Berkeley, will play his first game as a pro for the team on Saturday after the team announced his signing on Thursday.

Elmasnaouy started out as a fan, watching the Roots play at Laney College, and playing in local clubs across the East Bay, including East Bay United, Lamorinda, and Ballistic United. 

 "Looking back on it, being able to be on the field instead of where i was in the stands is huge," said the Berkeley High School graduate. "It’s a dream to be able to do this full-time."

As the newest player for the Roots, he credits his dad for his love of the game.

"I think it was really my dad pushing me to play that sport cause he loved it, so that love of the game rubbed off on me," he said.

Elmasnaouy was recruited to play for the Roots amateur team Project 510 in 2022. 

The mid-fielder impressed coaches through the team’s Roots Recognize initiative and was given an academy contract, which afforded him the chance to play some Roots games.

"He’s very comfortable with the ball in tight spaces on the dribble," said Technical Director for the Roots Jordan Ferrell. "He has a nose for goal, but he also does the dirty work defensively."

Elmasnaouy went on to score the winning goal in his debut game last season in the U.S. Open Cup against El Farolito.

"I feel like a win just means more cause I’m from here and I want to see the team succeed," he said.

So far this season, sporting the number 45, Elmasnaouy has played for 500 minutes, starting 7 games.

He said he will take college classes part time and coach the Bay Oaks with his dad.

One third of the Roots players are from the Bay Area, proof of the team’s commitment to bringing up local soccer players.

"There’s plenty of young players who are aspiring professionals that are right here in our doorstep," Ferrell said. "The hunger exists for him to continue beyond this. The USL Championship is a great place to start your career, but he also has aspirations to play at an even higher level and we love that ambition."

The sky is the limit for Elmasnaouy, who inspires the next generation of East Bay kids to follow in his footsteps.

"This is really my passion. This is what I want to do. I want to make it as far as I can with soccer," he said.

He’ll play his first game as a pro on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Coliseum. It will also be available to watch on KTVU Plus.

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