One to watch: Inter Miami Academy goalkeeper starts MLS Next Pro All-Star Game

Levi William is the eighth Academy player to be named an All-Star

Earlier this month, Preston Plambeck scored the game-winning goal for the Herons in a match against the Chicago Fire, becoming the latest Inter Miami Academy grad to make his mark with the senior team. Another academy player, goalkeeper Levi Williams, is already showing he could join that list in the near future.

Williams, who turned 16 on July 2, started for Team East in Tuesday's MLS Next Pro All-Star Game and played 45 minutes without allowing a goal.

"It means a lot to me," Williams said in June when he learned he'd been selected to the team. "It was a really good season. I think I played very well and it's a great honor to be selected. I've really worked very hard throughout the academy, it's been a great experience and I hope to do my best in this MLS Next All-Star game.”

Williams obviously has studied Crash Davis' advice to Nuke LaLoosh. For those not familiar with the classic baseball movie "Bull Durham," Crash (played by Kevin Costner) is a journeyman catcher sent to the low minors to help prepare hot pitching prospect Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) for the big leagues. Near the end of the season, Nuke gets the call, and Crash shares a final lesson:

“It’s time to work on your interviews," Crash tells Nuke. "You’re gonna have to learn your clichés. You’re gonna have to study them, you’re gonna have to know them. They’re your friends. Write this down: ‘We gotta play it one day at a time.’”

Nuke responds skeptically: “Got to play… it’s pretty boring.”

Crash replies: “‘Course it’s boring, that’s the point. Write it down.”

Interview skills aside, Williams has had an exciting 2026. He's appeared in nine matches for the Trinidad & Tobago U17 team and started an Inter Miami II match, allowing a single goal in 90 minutes.

Williams became the eighth Inter Miami Academy player to be named to the MLS Next All-Star Game in only five years, after Israel Boatwright, Benjamin Cremaschi, and Kobi Thomas (2022), Tyler Hall (2023), Cai McLean (2024), and Quinton John and Nash Dearmin (2025).

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