Present within the MLS final, that he plays this Saturday, December 11 (9 p.m.) for the primary time in its history, New York City has made immense progress since its creation in 2015. To the point of overtaking the other nice club of the town, the New York Red Bulls, with whom a rivalry has arisen in recent years.

Football, or “soccer” in the United States, was not born yesterday in New York. Within the last century, we tend to will already notice a glorious past there. The New York Cosmos club , now defunct, has made the city's heyday, through five national titles and particularly the arrival of illustrious players like Pelé, Johan Cruyff or Franz Beckenbauer.

But the disappearance of the Cosmos in 1985 left New York without a significant club. Until the looks of the New York Red Bulls (in 1996), who were among the simplest groups in the Eastern Conference of MLS from the 2000s. But without ever winning the championship, despite the passage of stars like Thierry Henry, Youri Djorkaeff, Lothar Matthäus or Juninho.

A New York food shortage that might finish, this Saturday, December eleven. But not due to the Red Bulls. No, it was the most recent comer, New York Town (NYCFC), who created it to the MLS final against the Portland Timbers (at nine p.m.).

Owned by City Soccer Group, that owns Manchester City, NYCFC was founded in 2015. And has grown by leaps and bounds. The club has bet on high-sounding names to create itself known , explains Luxembourg international Maxime Chanot, defender at the NYCFC since 2016. A classic case in an exceedingly country while not soccer culture, like what s' moved to India when the Indian Super League was launched in 2014, with the arrival of players like Robert Pirès, David Trezeguet and Marco Materazzi.

An arrival of stars, then a development focused on youth

In New York Town, Andrea Pirlo (2015-2017), David Villa (2015-2018) and Frank Lampard (2015-2016) played the role of ambassadors, with (very) good salaries to the key. “They succeeded, as a result of after I talk regarding the team in Europe, the primary issue I am told is Pirlo, Villa, Lampard . ” But this strategy solely lasts a brief time, and like all MLS clubs,” trading “has taken over. ?” It's a cat of players, particularly those from South America, for the resell in Europe, ” explains Chanot.

Many hopefuls have followed this NYCFC-Europe route in recent times, like Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Joe Scally (Mönchengladbach), Jack Harrison (Leeds) and Angelino (RB Leipzig). And two others could soon follow the identical path, James Sands (twenty one) and Andres Jasson (nineteen), who have “the extent to play the Champions League every year”

If the departure of the celebs has somewhat lowered the recognition of the Pigeons , an admirer base, who originally came to work out massive names, remains in the stands. Today there's still a median influence of twenty-25,00zero spectators per game. Without Pirlo, Lampard or Villa, I'm not certain these individuals would have come first.

Problem: NYCFC does not yet have its own stadium. Since its creation, it's played at Yankee Stadium, home to the New York Yankees, a historic and standard baseball franchise, which conjointly holds shares in NYCFC. A sharing that inevitably harms the popularity of soccer. The club's goal was to stay briefly. It was alleged to last a few years, it lasted a little longer. If there's one city in the planet where the $64000 estate market is complicated, it's New York. And nowadays, the club is trying for a land to be able to make its own stadium. I am hopeful that it can be done quickly.

Two giant teams within the “Big Apple”

Its own infrastructure to create its own atmosphere, its own culture. Particularly on derby days against the neighbor, the New York Red Bulls. As a result of, lately, a true rivalry has set in. While there are no fan slippages like in France , the culture of the stands being radically completely different on both sides of the Atlantic, when you know that you're visiting play the Red Bulls, you'll feel the two fanbases that are beginning to clash on social networks .

This confrontation on the bottom is additionally the duel between two major teams, the Austrian Red Bull and the Emirati City Football Group. 2 successful companies in European soccer (Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg) and with all-consuming ambition in the globe of sport. In sporting terms, it's the New York Red Bulls who dominate the derbies (twelve V, three N, 6 D). But economically, New York City is ahead, with the franchise valued at $ 278 million in 2019 by Forbes , against $ 250 million for the Red Bulls.

Growing football in New York and also the United States

And the latest addition to New York soccer might undoubtedly gain the higher hand over his competitor. For its six th qualifying row in the playoffs, New York Town has finally reached the final of MLS. A dazzling course that has aroused great enthusiasm in town. We have a tendency to had a lot of support from sudden individuals, like the mayor of New York, the basketball and American football groups , notes Maxime Chanot. Clearly, there is an awareness of what we are doing. Soccer has taken on another dimension. I walked the streets on, got pulled over several times for congratulations.

In an exceedingly country that can host the 2026 World Cup (with Mexico and Canada), soccer is experiencing strong development. Number one sport for women, it is additionally for those underneath 16 , says Chanot. Therefore many reasons that create this MLS final a highlight for New York, a town whose last major title dates back to 2012, during the Giants' success within the NFL (American football league).