The Columbus Crew Are MLS Cup Champions!!!
The Columbus Crew are your 2023 MLS Cup Champions. After 46 games played in 2023, Wilfried Nancy has led his side to a league title and Columbus’s 2nd MLS Cup title (3rd trophy) in 4 years. How did Columbus take home the biggest domestic prize in U.S. soccer?
After a wild 1st round series against Atlanta United in which we saw Columbus get pushed to their edge, Columbus would eventually show their dominance. Taking down Thiago Almada and that Atlanta United side in game 3, defeating Orlando City on the road in extratime, pulling off an amazing road comeback against their rivals FC Cincinnati, and then defeating one of the most dominant clubs in recent MLS history… LAFC.
Columbus trusted the process. I would say that it was a process started by this front office even back in 2022. With the addition of MLS Next Pro in 2022, the Crew and their front office put an emphasis on developing young talent. We saw that almost immediately in the Columbus Crew 2 winning MLS Next Pro that year. The Crew took their plan to the next level heading into 2023 by moving on from Caleb Porter and hiring someone who proved in MLS that he worked well with youth, Wilfried Nancy. The Crew made a rarely seen manager trade to acquire Nancy, turning their plan to the next page. Nancy embraced the youth! Moving forward, working through the mistakes, and putting trust in players like Patrick Schulte, Alexandru Matan, Mo Farsi, and Sean Zawadzki. All three of those players were not in the first team picture only one season before. Matan was on loan back in Europe and looking to be on the outs with Columbus. Schulte, Farsi, and Zawadzki were winning MLS Next Pro with Columbus Crew 2.
Nancy also did more than just trust the youth. He found players to fit his ball dominant style. Swapping a star in Lucas Zelarayan for a former MLS Golden Boot winner in Diego Rossi. Nancy would also go out and grab Rudy Camacho, Malte Amundsen, and Julian Gressel all from within MLS. These moves paired with signing key depth pieces like Christian Ramirez and Evgen Cheberko as well as tactically shifting the positions of Steven Moreira, Yaw Yeboah, and Malte Amundsen lead to the success of 2023.
Nancy did a ton for the Crew in 2023, but there were some star players who also deserve their flowers. Cucho Hernandez proved to the league that he is one of the most lethal strikers in MLS with 34 combined goals and assists this year. Aidan Morris raised his level in 2023, proving to be a top defensive midfielder in MLS. And lastly, nobody else better to give credit to but the G.O.A.T Darlington Nagbe. Nagbe’s (once again) stellar MLS campaign led to him raising his 4th MLS Cup.
I have to admit it. I absolutely LOVE what the Columbus Crew are doing and how they are operating as a club within MLS. From Tim Bezbechenko, to Wilfried Nancy, to Darlington Nagbe, to Patrick Schulte… the Crew are operating at one of the highest levels of any club in the league. Two MLS Cup titles and a Campeones Cup title are evidence of their impact in being up there with LAFC, Seattle Sounders, and Philadelphia Union as the most dominant clubs in recent history. They are making Columbus a destination club within MLS and what looks to be contenders for seasons to come.
