In the rest of the world, being 17 years old and a professional soccer player might not be considered uncommon.

But that's hardly the case in the U.S., which makes Josh Lambo a rare individual.

Lambo, a former Middleton High School athlete, confirmed Monday that he has signed with Major League Soccer.

"A dream come true," Lambo said from Florida, where he is working with goalkeeper coach Tim Mulqueen.

Lambo's signing was first reported by 3rd Degree, a Web site that covers FC Dallas and is considered the top source for MLS SuperDraft information.

The 6-foot-1 goalkeeper will be part of this year's class of players in Generation Adidas, a program designed to bring elite young players into MLS.

Lambo declined to reveal details of his contract, but said that it's "not too long and not too short." A source said the deal is for five years.

As far as money, the average 2007 compensation for last year's eight Generation Adidas players was $86,775, according to the MLS Players Union.

Lambo is working with Mulqueen, his former coach with the U.S. Under-17 national team, in preparation for the MLS Combine, which is Friday to Jan. 15 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"I see a goalkeeper with great talent and great potential," Mulqueen, now an assistant with the Under-20 and Under-23 national teams, said of Lambo.

After a brief trip home to Middleton, Lambo will head to Baltimore for the Jan. 18 SuperDraft to learn his destination in the 14-team league.

"I would expect Lambo to go in the first two rounds to a team that is in the upper part of the table and has an established, older goalkeeper," 3rd Degree publisher Buzz Carrick said in an e-mail.

"Look for a team that can wait two years for Lambo to be ready for prime time. He's not ready to start today, but I would be shocked to see him slide to the third (round)."

For the past 18 months, it looked as if Lambo was headed to Everton, which plays in England's elite Premier League.

He's trained with the Liverpool club three times — most recently in November — and was hoping to sign with the Everton Academy, the club's youth program. Due to work visa rules, though, he needed a passport from a European Union country to do so.

Lambo appeared headed in that direction, as he is eligible for a Greek passport through his family ancestry. But that process has been slow, and Lambo decided to put his dream of playing in Europe aside for a few years.

Mulqueen, who coached in MLS nine years, said Lambo will benefit by starting his career in his home country rather than overseas.

He hesitated to compare Lambo to others with whom he has worked, but said he can "stop shots with the best of them." Mulqueen did compare Lambo's maturity and drive at this age to that of Tim Howard, who played in MLS for six years, then went to Manchester United and now starts for Everton and the U.S. national team.

Lambo grew up in Crystal Lake, Ill., about 50 miles northwest of Chicago, and said he used to be a Chicago Fire fan, but doesn't really follow the MLS team much anymore.

Lambo played for Middleton in 2005. He's since been at the Under-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla., and graduated from The Edison Academic Center last month through an accelerated studies program.