Marcelo Lage Bio
Marcelo Antonio Lage (born March 2, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for New York Cosmos in the USL League One. Standing 1.96 meters tall, he operates primarily as a center back and wears the number 4 shirt for the New York Cosmos. A late bloomer to the professional ranks, Lage built his career through the United States college system and the lower divisions of American soccer before signing his first professional contract in 2023.
Across the college, USL League Two, USL Championship, and USL League One levels, Lage has developed into a reliable, physically imposing defender known for his heading ability and his timing on set pieces. He progressed from undrafted MLS prospect to a starter for multiple USL League One clubs in consecutive seasons, establishing himself within the American lower-division circuit.
Early Life and Background
Marcelo Antonio Lage was born in Middleton, Massachusetts, on March 2, 2000. He grew up in the New England region and attended Brooks School, a preparatory school in North Andover, Massachusetts. As a senior, he helped the Brooks School soccer team win the Independent School League, New England, and National Prep titles, earning All-State honors in the process.
Lage was recognized as an All-ISL player in both 2016 and 2017 and was twice selected to the New England Prep All-Star Team. During his high school years, he also developed through local club soccer, including time with Global Premier Soccer, the New England Revolution academy, and Boston Bolts, a pathway that exposed him to competitive regional and national environments before he moved on to college soccer.
Path to Soccer
Lage began his college career at George Washington University in 2018, where he played one season for the George Washington Colonials. He made 17 appearances and scored one goal, performances that earned him a place on the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. In 2019, he transferred to Coastal Carolina University to continue his development at the NCAA Division I level.
Over three seasons with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Lage totaled 43 appearances, 8 goals, and 2 assists. He was named to the Sun Belt Conference Championship All-Tournament Team in 2020, was a two-time Academic All-District First Team selection in 2020-21 and 2021, and was an All-Conference USA Third Team honoree in 2021. As a graduate student in 2022, he played 21 games and scored 3 goals for the Hofstra Pride, earning All-CAA recognition in his single season with the program.
Marcelo Lage Career
Early Career (2021-2022)
While still in college, Lage gained senior-level experience in the USL League Two. In 2021, he made a single appearance for Chicago FC United, the developmental side affiliated with the Chicago Fire, which served as his first taste of competitive summer-league soccer beyond the college calendar.
He returned to familiar surroundings in 2022, playing 10 matches for Boston Bolts, the same academy organization he had represented in his youth years. That summer, he balanced his Hofstra University graduate season with his USL League Two duties, finishing the year with a strong foundation of minutes at the pre-professional level.
Las Vegas Lights Breakthrough (2023)
Lage was eligible for the 2023 MLS SuperDraft but went undrafted, leaving him to pursue a professional contract outside the top flight. On March 7, 2023, he signed his first professional deal with USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights ahead of their 2023 campaign, joining a club in need of defensive reinforcements for the new season.
He made his professional debut five days later, on March 12, 2023, in a 1-1 draw with Rio Grande Valley FC. On May 20, 2023, Lage scored his first professional goal in a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, marking a personal milestone in his rookie season. He finished the year with 27 appearances and 4 goals across all competitions, a strong first professional campaign for an undrafted center back.
Spokane Velocity Era (2024-2025)
On January 12, 2024, Lage joined Spokane Velocity ahead of the club’s inaugural USL League One season. He immediately became a regular in the back line, starting 23 of 24 league appearances and helping the first-year expansion side reach the 2024 USL League One final, where they finished as runners-up.
Across his time with Spokane Velocity, Lage made 46 appearances for the club. He continued as a starter into the 2025 USL League One campaign before being released on July 8, 2025, ending a productive two-season run with the Washington-based side.
Richmond Kickers Era (2025)
Two days after his release from Spokane, Lage signed with the Richmond Kickers on July 10, 2025, giving him a quick landing spot in the same league. He established himself as a regular starter for the Virginia-based club, providing experienced center back play during the second half of the USL League One season.
On August 23, 2025, Lage scored his first goal for Richmond on a header from a corner to seal a 1-0 victory over One Knoxville SC. He added a second goal on October 25, 2025, again on a header from a corner, in a 5-1 win over Forward Madison. He left the Kickers at season’s end with 16 appearances and 2 goals in USL League One play.
New York Cosmos Era (2025-Present)
On December 12, 2025, Lage joined the New York Cosmos ahead of the organization’s return to professional competition in USL League One. The move reunited him with a historic American soccer brand and offered him a regular role in the back line for the new campaign.
He continues to be listed as a New York Cosmos defender, wearing the number 4 shirt as the club builds its squad for the 2026 USL League One season. His prior experience with multiple playoff pushes is expected to provide defensive stability to the re-launched side.
Driving Style and Strengths
That heading is not applicable to Marcelo Lage, who plays soccer rather than motorsport. The New York Cosmos defender relies on his 1.96-meter frame, aerial ability, and positioning to compete for crosses and set pieces. He is comfortable stepping forward from the back line to join attacks on corners, where he has produced multiple goals across his professional career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lage’s standout moments include his first professional goal for Las Vegas Lights in 2023, a runner-up finish with Spokane Velocity in the 2024 USL League One final in the club’s inaugural season, and back-to-back headed goals from corners for the Richmond Kickers in 2025. His transition from undrafted MLS-eligible player to regular USL League One starter stands as the defining arc of his early professional career.
Marcelo Lage Career Wins
Marcelo Lage has yet to capture a major senior team trophy at the professional level. His most significant team success to date is the 2024 USL League One runners-up finish with Spokane Velocity during the club’s first season of existence.
USL League One Highlights
In the USL League One, Lage has recorded a runner-up finish with Spokane Velocity in 2024 and reached the playoffs with the Richmond Kickers in 2025. His first goal in the league came on August 23, 2025, for Richmond, followed by a second goal on October 25, 2025, with his most recent competitive action coming as a New York Cosmos defender following his December 2025 move.
Other Wins and Performances
At the youth and collegiate level, Lage won Independent School League, New England, and National Prep titles with Brooks School. He also earned All-ISL, All-State, Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, Sun Belt Conference Championship All-Tournament Team, Academic All-District First Team, All-Conference USA Third Team, and All-CAA honors across his developmental years, reflecting consistent individual and team recognition.
Marcelo Lage Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
That heading is not applicable to Marcelo Lage, a soccer player rather than a racing driver. He was raised in Middleton, Massachusetts, and developed through New England-area youth clubs, but no public family details are recorded in the available sources.
Personal Life
No information about Marcelo Lage’s spouse, children, parents, or current residence is publicly documented in available sources. He is an American national born and raised in Massachusetts, and he continues his professional soccer career with the New York Cosmos in the USL League One.
2025 Season Performance
Marcelo Lage began the 2025 season with Spokane Velocity in USL League One, continuing as a regular starter in central defense. He was released by the club on July 8, 2025, ending a two-year tenure that included the previous season’s runners-up finish. His midseason move gave him an immediate opportunity to step into a starting role elsewhere in the same division.
On July 10, 2025, he signed with the Richmond Kickers and quickly earned a starting place. He scored his first Richmond goal on August 23, 2025, against One Knoxville SC, and added a second on October 25, 2025, against Forward Madison, both headers from corners. He finished the Richmond campaign with 16 appearances and 2 goals in USL League One play before departing the club at season’s end.
On December 12, 2025, Lage joined the New York Cosmos ahead of the club’s return to professional competition. The signing positions him as a defensive leader for the re-launched side entering the new USL League One campaign, with the playoff experience gained at Spokane and Richmond expected to anchor his role in the upcoming season.