Jakupović holds citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is thus eligible to play for our national team, and whether that will happen in the future remains to be seen. What is encouraging is the fact that he shares content dedicated to the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team on social media, which is certainly a telling signal.
This talented 16-year-old has become the 30th player in the club's history to earn "Homegrown" status (a player developed in the club's academy). The contract is signed until the end of the 2029/2030 season, with an option to extend for an additional year.
Having progressed through all youth selections of the Union Academy, as well as the development team Union II, Jakupović has become the latest example of the club's successful youth development project.
Interim Sporting Director of the Philadelphia Union, Jon Scheer, did not hide his excitement about the young forward's progress. In his statement, he highlighted how Malik has shown tremendous growth since arriving at the academy and that his maturity at just 16 years old clearly indicates the kind of professional he is.
🚨 Homegrown signing 🐍 Philadelphia Union have signed @PhilaUnionII forward and @USYNT player Malik Jakupovic. 📝 https://t.co/wyicHfJPZy #DOOP | @primepoint pic.twitter.com/RwOvablsyD
Jakupović made his official debut in the top tier of American soccer (MLS) on March 21 in a match against Chicago Fire, coming off the bench and playing 28 minutes.
His form from last season, where he scored eight goals in 16 appearances for Union II in the MLS NEXT Pro league, was clearly no coincidence. He has carried that brilliant play into 2026, finding the net twice in the first four matches of this season.
Jakupović was born 16 years ago in Michigan and began his career in the Philadelphia Union academy.
Malik plays as a forward and at 16 years old stands out with his physique, being taller than his peers and physically more dominant, along with impressive ball control and technique.
On the international stage, Jakupović represents the United States with great success. After debuting for the U-16 team at the end of 2024, he demonstrated his full potential with the U-17 team.
For that selection, he has made seven appearances so far and scored an incredible 12 goals. He particularly stood out at the recent Concacaf U-17 Championship, where his eight goals were crucial in securing the United States' qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.