Atlanta United 2’s DD Sibrian is focused on what comes next

The young midfielder is using every step of his development, from Atlanta United 2 to El Salvador’s U-17s, as fuel for the next stage of his climb.

For DD Sibrian, this moment is not the end of the story. It is the reward for the work that got him here, and the starting point for what he wants next.

The Atlanta United 2 midfielder has been in the club’s pathway since the U-13 level, and when he looks back on that journey, the thing that stands out most is simple.

“The biggest thing that stands out to me is the fact that I’m still here.”

In an environment where players come and go, Sibrian pointed to endurance as part of the achievement. He called himself “very blessed” and “super thankful” for the opportunity, but his perspective also reflects the years of effort required to stay on this track.

That growth has not happened by accident.

Sibrian broke into the 2's lineup consistently in the second half of the 2025 season. (photo: Vanessa Angel)

Sibrian said the staff has consistently worked with him in detailed ways, from reviewing clips with him after training to offering advice whenever he needed it. He also spoke about the support he has received from Atlanta United 2 head coach José Silva, especially when it comes to becoming more demanding of himself in possession. Silva, Sibrian said, pushes him to get on the ball more often and trusts his quality there, an important part of his development as a midfielder.

That progression has also shown up in the way Sibrian has handled the jump from academy soccer to the professional game.

He said his first matches with Atlanta United 2 felt much faster than the academy level, and that adjustment was real early on. But with more games came more comfort, and Sibrian explained that the experience with the twos helped raise his level whenever he returned to academy matches. The speed of the professional game sharpened him, and he has tried to carry that standard back with him by pushing teammates, leading, and setting an example.

It has also changed the way he sees himself as a player.

“But I think now I’m starting to be better on the ball and start to want the ball more.”

That same sense of growth came through in his first national team call-up with El Salvador’s U-17s.

“It means a lot to me, especially representing my family.”

Sibrian called it a meaningful experience even if the results did not go the way the team wanted. What mattered most to him was the chance to represent his family. He said the call-up meant a great deal because it was his first national team opportunity, and he described himself as “very blessed” that El Salvador was the program that gave him that chance.

There is a pattern in all of it. Sibrian talks like a player who understands that development is ongoing. He does not frame this moment as arrival. He frames it as more work to do.

“I hope I get stronger. I get faster. And just by fitness level, you know, just match the first team.”

When he looks ahead, the goals are clear. He wants to keep developing until he is ready for the standard he is chasing, and ultimately for the chance to play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium one day.

For now, that is what defines this stage of Sibrian’s path. Not comfort. Not satisfaction. Progress.

He has stayed the course, grown through the demands of the professional game, taken the honor of representing El Salvador with him, and kept his eyes on the next standard he wants to reach. For a young midfielder in Atlanta United’s system, that is the job. Sibrian sounds ready for it.