FC Cincy’s future is bright

FC Cincinnati will have new players, a (relatively) new coach, a new stadium, and new uniforms for the 2021 Major League Soccer season, pressing somewhat of a restart button for the organization that so far has underwhelmed fans in their short stint in the league.

Since their introduction to the MLS in 2019, FCC has won only 10 of the 57 matches they have played (losing 37 and drawing 10), a league low.

The team sat at the bottom of MLS standings for both of their first two seasons, holding the worst winning percentage in a two-year span for any MLS team in the last decade.

However, since the conclusion of the 2020 season, things have looked up for the organization.

In February of this year, the team made waves in the MLS landscape with the signing of prominent Brazilian rising talent Brenner Souza da Silva, or simply “Brenner.” Cincinnati paid a historically high price of approx. $13 million for the 21 year old, who transferred from São Paul FC.

Cincinnati, which scored a league low 12 goals in the 2020 season, hopes to improve its offense with the addition of its new striker.

In 2020, Brenner finished with 22 goals in the 38 matches he played for São Paul FC, and an additional 24 goals in the 61 games he played for the U-17 Brazilian national team.

FC Cincinnati also hired a new head coach, former EPL and Serie A star player Jaap Stam. Prior to his signing with Cincinnati, Stam was head coach for prominent European clubs like PEC Zwolle and Feyenoord, where his combined record for both teams was an impressive 25-20-14.

This came after the resignation of former Head Coach Ran Jans, who allegedly said a racial slur during a training camp for the team prior to the 2020 season.

While Stam did coach the abysmal 2020 FCC team, fans are hopeful that with the proper time he has had to adjust and insert himself within the organization, the 2021 season will be much more successful.

The construction of West End Stadium will be completed in time for FC Cincinnati’s home opener on May 16, giving the team a permanent home for the first time since their minor league days in the United Soccer League (USL).

The stadium, which features up to 26,000 seating capacity, enormous LED lighting displays on the 513 vertical outside fins, a 360-degree canopy roof, and more, cost around $250 million.

FC Cincinnati will also sport a new look for the season, adopting a new “dynamic kit,” which consists of a new primary jersey. Fans consider the new look a clear upgrade, pointing out the blue and orange pinstripes of the jerseys as a clear improvement from the team’s older design.

FCC will kick off their third MLS season on April 17 against the league’s newest expansion team, Nashville SC.