COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — The Colorado Rapids announced today that they have called up defender Anderson Rosa from the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side on a Short-Term Agreement. Rosa will be available for selection for the Rapids’ match against St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, February 22.
Rosa, 23, trained with the first team throughout both preseason camps in Mexico and Florida. A year after being selected with the 43rd overall pick by the Rapids in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, the defender signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Rapids 2 ahead of the 2025 season.
The last five years of Rosa’s career has been at the collegiate level with the University of Central Florida. The defender did not miss a single match during his time with the university, appearing and starting in 76 consecutive matches for the Knights, setting a record for the most games played by a single player in the program’s history.
In the 2024 season after being drafted by Colorado, Rosa recorded two goals and a career-high six assists as a defender. The Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, native also set career highs in shot attempts (32) and shots on goal (11) during his 2024 campaign.
Over his five years with UCF, the Brazilian logged eight goals and 14 points while racking up honors. Rosa was named to The American’s All-Conference First Team in his freshman and junior years and was a unanimous selection to The American’s All-Rookie Team after the 2020-21 season. Most recently, he was named to the Sun Belt Conference’s post-season All-Conference First Team.
TRANSACTION: The Colorado Rapids have called up defender Anderson Rosa from the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side on a Short-Term Agreement on Feb. 22, 2025.
Anderson Rosa
Pronunciation: ANN-dur-son ho-sah
Position: Defender
Height: 5-10
Weight: 160
Birthdate: November 13, 2001
Birthplace: Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Nationality: Brazil
