Last Updated on September 29, 2026 by Mike
Taylor Calheira is an American professional soccer player who plays as a striker for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer. Born on April 26, 2002, in Towson, Maryland, Calheira grew up in a family deeply connected to football. His father, Adauto Neto, enjoyed a lengthy professional career in both outdoor and indoor soccer, while his younger brother, Ryan Calheira, followed Taylor into NCAA soccer at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Taylor is the son of Adauto Neto and Leslie Calheira and also has a younger sister named Gabrella. His family combines Brazilian and American roots: his father was born in Brazil, while Taylor has described his mother as American. Both parents played important roles in his development, with Adauto coaching him for much of his childhood and Leslie regularly taking him to training and supporting him through difficult moments. Despite being open about his parents and siblings, Taylor has kept his romantic life private.
Who Is Taylor Calheira’s Girlfriend?
As of now, Taylor Calheira has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend, fiancée or wife through a reliable source.
Recent interviews with FC Tulsa and coverage surrounding his move to Sporting Kansas City discuss his upbringing, his parents and his football career in considerable detail but do not identify a romantic partner.
Because there is no authoritative confirmation of a relationship, a person appearing alongside Calheira on social media should not automatically be identified as his girlfriend. His dating life therefore remains private.
Does Taylor Calheira Have Children?
There are no publicly confirmed reports that Taylor Calheira has children.
Sporting Kansas City, FC Tulsa and UMBC profiles do not identify him as a father, and no reliable interview reviewed for this profile mentions a son or daughter.
As of now, therefore, Calheira has no publicly documented children.
Who Are Taylor Calheira’s Parents?
Taylor Calheira’s parents are Adauto Neto and Leslie Calheira. The family’s identities can be established through official UMBC records, including the university biography of Taylor’s younger brother Ryan, which identifies Ryan as the son of Leslie Calheira and Adauto Neto.
Taylor has spoken extensively about both parents and their influence on his development. His father provided much of his football education, while his mother supplied consistent practical and emotional support throughout the years of training required to become a professional player.
Taylor Calheira’s Father: Adauto Neto
Taylor Calheira’s father is Adauto Neto, a Brazilian former professional footballer whose own career in the United States made soccer a central part of Taylor’s childhood.
Adauto came to the United States from Brazil as a young man and played college soccer at the University of Mobile. He developed into one of the program’s outstanding players and earned multiple NAIA All-American honors before moving into professional soccer.
His career included both outdoor and indoor football. He was selected by the Dallas Burn, now known as FC Dallas, and also represented teams including the Cleveland Force and Baltimore Blast.
Adauto became particularly well known through his indoor career with Baltimore. UMBC records credit him with scoring more than 100 goals during eight seasons with the Blast, while Sporting Kansas City coverage has described him as a notable figure in the American indoor game.
How Adauto Neto Influenced Taylor Calheira
Adauto was much more than an example Taylor watched from the stands. He also served as his son’s coach for much of his childhood.
Taylor has described watching his father play professionally as one of the experiences that made him want to become a soccer player himself. Seeing Adauto score goals in front of large crowds showed him from a young age what a professional career could look like.
Adauto subsequently coached Taylor throughout his youth years and pushed him to develop technically and mentally. Taylor has recalled completing individual training sessions with his father almost every day and being constantly encouraged to attack defenders and become more confident with the ball.
The relationship could also be demanding. Taylor has acknowledged that satisfying his father as a player was not always easy because Adauto expected a high standard from him. Looking back, however, Taylor has credited that pressure and discipline with helping prepare him for professional football.
Taylor Calheira’s Mother: Leslie Calheira
Taylor Calheira’s mother is Leslie Calheira. Her name is confirmed through the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s official biography of Taylor’s younger brother Ryan.
Leslie is American, giving Taylor an American-Brazilian family background alongside his Brazilian-born father. She has maintained a considerably lower public profile than Adauto, and reliable sources provide little information about her occupation or professional background.
Taylor has nevertheless emphasized how important his mother was throughout his journey. In a 2025 FC Tulsa profile, he explained that she regularly took him to practices and was the person he could turn to when his father’s demanding coaching became difficult.
In a later 2026 interview, Taylor again stressed that his mother had been a major part of his career, attending his matches, supporting him and helping lift his spirits during challenging moments.
How Taylor Calheira’s Parents Worked Together
The roles played by Adauto and Leslie complemented each other during Taylor’s development.
Adauto provided an unusually high level of technical knowledge because he had experienced professional soccer himself. He coached Taylor, organized individual sessions and set demanding expectations.
Leslie provided much of the everyday support surrounding that training. Taylor has specifically remembered her taking him to practices and being a source of reassurance when things became difficult.
Taylor has consequently credited both parents rather than only his football-playing father for his success, saying that they pushed him throughout his life and played an important part in allowing him to reach the professional game.
Who Are Taylor Calheira’s Siblings?
Taylor Calheira has at least two younger siblings: a brother named Ryan Calheira and a sister named Gabrella Calheira.
Ryan is the most publicly visible because he followed Taylor into competitive soccer and eventually became his teammate at UMBC. Gabrella has remained outside the sports spotlight and has considerably less publicly available information.
Ryan Calheira
Ryan Calheira is Taylor’s younger brother and is also a soccer player.
Ryan attended Concordia Preparatory School in Maryland, the same school where Taylor had previously become one of the Baltimore area’s leading high-school players. He earned All-MIAA honors throughout his four years and received Maryland First-Team All-State recognition in 2022.
Like Taylor, Ryan also played club soccer for BRAUSA, an organization closely associated with their father’s coaching and youth-development work.
Ryan joined the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2023, giving the two brothers the opportunity to share a college soccer team during Taylor’s senior season.
Taylor and Ryan Calheira at UMBC
Taylor had already established himself as one of UMBC’s leading players when Ryan arrived as a freshman in 2023.
UMBC highlighted the family connection before the season and noted that Taylor and Ryan became the 11th set of brothers to play for the university’s men’s soccer program.
The brothers shared more than soccer accomplishments. Both also served as Student Government Association president during their years at Concordia Prep, reflecting an emphasis on leadership and academics within the family.
Ryan continued playing for UMBC after Taylor entered professional soccer. His university biography lists him as a striker and notes interests beyond football, including academic plans connected with biochemistry and molecular biology.
Gabrella Calheira
Gabrella Calheira is Taylor’s younger sister. Her identity is confirmed through Ryan Calheira’s official UMBC biography, which states that Ryan has an older brother, Taylor, and a younger sister, Gabrella.
Unlike her brothers, Gabrella has not become a public figure through college or professional soccer. Reliable sources do not provide detailed information about her age, education, occupation or involvement in sports.
Because she has maintained a private profile, further personal details should not be inferred from social-media accounts or people who simply share the Calheira surname.
Taylor Calheira’s Brazilian Heritage
Taylor was born in Maryland to an American mother and Brazilian father, giving him strong connections to both countries.
His Brazilian heritage influenced his football development from an early age. UMBC’s official biography notes that Taylor traveled to his father’s native Brazil and competed against professional academy teams.
Taylor has also obtained a Brazilian passport, reflecting his dual family connection. His experience in Brazil went beyond short training visits when he later spent time developing with Vitória in Salvador, Bahia.
Living and training in Brazil exposed him to a different football culture and required him to mature quickly while away from his family in the United States.
Taylor Calheira’s Time With Vitória in Brazil
During his high-school years, Calheira received an opportunity to train and play within Vitória’s youth setup in Brazil.
The connection came partly through Sergio Moura, one of the coaches associated with his father who had previously worked with Brazilian clubs. Moura helped provide Calheira with the opportunity and encouraged him to believe he could compete in that environment.
Taylor later described the experience as one of the most important developmental periods of his youth. He lived in player accommodation at Vitória’s Barradão complex and had to adjust to living without his immediate family in another country.
Although challenging, the experience strengthened the Brazilian connection inherited from his father and helped prepare him for the independence required later in college and professional soccer.
A Family Built Around Soccer
The Calheira household was strongly shaped by the sport. Adauto was a professional player and coach, Taylor became a professional striker, and Ryan followed the same pathway into NCAA Division I soccer.
Adauto also took his sons around the professional environment when they were young. PressBox reported that Taylor and Ryan regularly attended Baltimore Blast practices with their father, giving both boys exposure to professional players from childhood.
Adauto also put soccer balls at their feet almost as soon as they could walk. For Taylor, the opportunity to watch his father train and compete made professional football appear less like an abstract childhood dream and more like a realistic goal.
Taylor Calheira’s High-School Years
Calheira attended Concordia Preparatory School in Towson, Maryland, and developed into one of the region’s standout high-school forwards.
He earned All-America, All-State and Baltimore Sun All-Metro recognition in 2019 after scoring 33 goals. His performances helped Concordia win championships and attracted interest from several NCAA programs.
Adauto also coached Taylor at Concordia, continuing the father-son football relationship that had begun years earlier.
Despite his growing soccer profile, Taylor remained active in school life and served as Student Government Association president.
Taylor Calheira’s College Career at UMBC
Taylor ultimately remained close to home and chose the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
He became one of the most productive forwards in UMBC history, finishing his college career with 32 goals across 61 appearances.
Calheira was named America East Striker of the Year in consecutive seasons and earned national recognition for his goalscoring performances.
His final college season in 2023 was particularly meaningful because younger brother Ryan joined the program, allowing the brothers to represent the Retrievers together before Taylor moved into professional soccer.
Following His Father Into Professional Soccer
Calheira achieved the professional goal that had been inspired partly by watching his father.
New York City FC selected him in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, and he subsequently signed with NYCFC II. Calheira immediately demonstrated his goalscoring ability, recording 14 goals during his first MLS NEXT Pro season.
He moved to FC Tulsa in 2025 and produced another prolific campaign. His performances established him as one of the leading strikers in the USL Championship and helped Tulsa make a deep postseason run.
Throughout that rise, Calheira continued crediting his parents for creating the environment and work ethic that made his professional career possible.
Taylor Calheira’s Move to Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City acquired Taylor Calheira from FC Tulsa ahead of the 2026 MLS season.
The club signed him to a two-and-a-half-year MLS contract through the 2027-28 season, with options for the following two seasons.
Sporting highlighted Calheira’s exceptional goalscoring record across college soccer, MLS NEXT Pro and the USL Championship. By the time he arrived in Kansas City, he had recorded 38 goals and 10 assists across 69 professional matches for NYCFC II and Tulsa.
The move placed Taylor at MLS level, completing another stage in the journey that had begun with watching his father play professionally in Maryland.
Taylor Calheira’s Family Life Today
As of now, Taylor Calheira’s publicly documented immediate family includes his parents, Adauto Neto and Leslie Calheira, younger brother Ryan and younger sister Gabrella.
Adauto’s Brazilian professional soccer career had a particularly strong influence on Taylor, with father and son also sharing a long coach-player relationship. Leslie provided consistent support throughout Taylor’s childhood and has been publicly credited by her son for helping him through difficult moments.
Ryan followed Taylor into competitive soccer and became his teammate at UMBC during the 2023 season. Gabrella, meanwhile, has maintained a private life outside the attention surrounding her brothers’ football careers.
No girlfriend, wife or children have been reliably confirmed for Taylor as of now. While his parents and siblings form a well-documented part of his football story, he has maintained much greater privacy around his romantic life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Taylor Calheira’s Family
Who are Taylor Calheira’s parents?
Taylor Calheira’s parents are former Brazilian professional footballer Adauto Neto and Leslie Calheira.
Who is Taylor Calheira’s father?
Taylor’s father is Adauto Neto, a Brazilian former professional soccer player who became particularly well known for his indoor career with the Baltimore Blast. He also coached Taylor throughout much of his youth development.
Who is Taylor Calheira’s mother?
Taylor Calheira’s mother is Leslie Calheira. Taylor has credited her with taking him to practices, attending his games and providing emotional support throughout his development.
Does Taylor Calheira have siblings?
Yes. Taylor has a younger brother named Ryan Calheira and a younger sister named Gabrella.
Who is Ryan Calheira?
Ryan Calheira is Taylor’s younger brother and a soccer player who joined UMBC in 2023. The brothers became the 11th brother combination to represent UMBC men’s soccer.
Who is Gabrella Calheira?
Gabrella is Taylor and Ryan Calheira’s younger sister. She has maintained a private profile, and little reliable biographical information about her has been published.
Is Taylor Calheira Brazilian?
Taylor was born in the United States to an American mother and Brazilian father. He has strong Brazilian family ties through Adauto Neto and has held a Brazilian passport in addition to his American background.
Did Taylor Calheira’s father play professional soccer?
Yes. Adauto Neto played professional outdoor and indoor soccer in the United States, including a long and successful spell with the Baltimore Blast.
Who is Taylor Calheira’s girlfriend?
As of now, Taylor Calheira has not publicly confirmed a girlfriend, fiancée or wife through a reliable source.
Does Taylor Calheira have children?
There are no publicly confirmed reports that Taylor Calheira has children.
Where is Taylor Calheira’s family from?
Taylor was born and raised in Maryland. His mother is American, while his father, Adauto Neto, was born in Brazil and later moved to the United States to pursue college and professional soccer.
Ronald Mike is a football writer covering the English Premier League, providing match analysis, tactical insight, and coverage of key rivalries and title races across the season.
