A USL League 2 and NCAA title winner in Vermont is heading to Florida.
Few soccer players have become as much of a hero as Maximilian Kissel—and now the legend of American collegiate soccer could cross paths with Lionel Messi and MLS Cup champions Inter Miami. Kissel, 23, was the final selection in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, often referred to as Mr.
Irrelevant in other North American sports. He was the 90th overall pick, the 30th of the third round and rounded out Miami’s five selections. While he has no guaranteed opportunity with the Herons, the club now holds his MLS rights and could offer him a contract, should he pique their interest for either Inter Miami or Inter Miami II of MLS Next Pro. It is the latest chapter to Kissel’s wild story in the game over the last several years, which has seen him author Cinderella moments for the University of Vermont Catamounts in the 2024 NCAA College Cup and A German-American forward, Kissel scored the game-winning goal for his university squad in 2024, finishing in extra time against Marshall University to secure UVM’s first major national championship.As much as the NCAA title unified the state, the USL League 2 title with the Green continued the momentum, especially given the boost in popularity from the club’s climate-justice work and its approaches to other progressive social causes, as well as big-name backing from United States Senator Bernie Sanders and music star Noah Kahan. “It’s unbelievable, words can’t describe it. It’s crazy what this sport means to the people in the state, the fans we have and the energy they bring for all 90 minutes. Kissel told NBC after the League 2 final. “I can’t really describe it...I knew what I had to do—and I’m so thankful that I did it.”Following his double-game-winning heroics, Kissel had a slight dip in 2025, suffering an injury that kept him out for several weeks of the NCAA season in October—he’d began the year with four goals and three assists in 10 games. That early-season success saw him crack the midseason watchlist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in NCAA soccer. Kissel’s teammate with UVM and the Green, goalkeeper Niklas Herceg, was taken 16th overall in the first round by FC Dallas, bringing an upbeat end to 2025 after UVM fell short against Hofstra University in the College Cup. Virtue Field in Burlington, Vermont, may be a far cry from the bright lights of Inter Miami and MLS. Yet, Kissel has already made himself a legend in American soccer and will now have the chance to write his next chapter in the South Florida heat, many miles from Vermont’s frigid temperatures.Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who brings in-depth experience, having covered the North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for prominent outlets, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.
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