With Taty Castellanos off to (and already scoring for) Girona FC, and with former NYCFC midfielder Yangel Herrera joining him there, “NYCFSpain” is officially in full force. And, if you didn’t have a La Liga team to pull for before, you certainly do now.
But, these two former players joining forces abroad got me thinking about how much talent NYCFC have possessed since their inaugural season in 2015. Sure, some of our best ever players arrived to New York well after their prime, but we’re now also seeing the true potential of some of our young exports come to life after leaving the club as well.
So, if you boil it down into a mix of anyone who’s ever pulled on an NYCFC shirt - young, old, legendary, or up-and-coming: who makes it into an all-time NYCFC best XI?
I’ve put forth my selections below based mostly off of what they’ve done for NYCFC in particular, but I also took into consideration the player they may have become since taking the next step in their career. So for example, I’ve excluded a player like Andrea Pirlo who was a legendary footballer in Europe, but struggled at times in MLS. But contrarily, I've included a player like Jack Harrison, who used NYCFC as a springboard towards European success.
So, here's who I've gone with in my squad:
My All-Time NYCFC Best XI
LW: David Villa
It was a tough call not to put him at the central striker role where he was the most productive for The Pigeons, but if his Barcelona days are of any indication, I think El Guaje would do just fine right here. With 80 goals and 21 assists in 126 appearances for NYCFC, the Spaniard was absolutely lethal in the final third for NYCFC, and his goalscoring records look like they won’t be reached any time soon.
ST: Taty Castellanos
I put Taty here instead of Villa because of how transformative he was as a central striker for NYCFC compared to his production as a winger for the club. In what felt like a very short period of time, he went from a young, raw winger lacking final product, to one of the most prolific center forwards in the league. He finished his NYCFC career with 59 goals, 24 assists, 1 golden boot, and 1 MLS Cup. That’ll get you in the Best XI every time.
RW: Jack Harrison
Before he was the focus of $40 million offers from big-spending Newcastle United, Jack Harrison was a 1st overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft in 2016. It’s not a common route to the Premier League, but I think we were all aware of “Jumping Jack’s” quality early on in his NYCFC days. Although he only finished his NYCFC career with 14 goals and 10 assists, it was pretty impressive to watch as he achieved this in just 2 seasons, and often dealt in the spectacular when he did get on the scoresheet. Pair that with excellent tactical discipline and an impressive work-rate, and you can understand why he’s valued so highly today, even by premier league standards.
CAM: Maxi Moralez
The first player on this list that’s still wearing NYCFC colors is Maxi Moralez, and his longevity and consistency are two huge reasons why he’s been so important to The Boys in Blue. At 35 years old now, he’s racked up 30 goals and ridiculous 60 assists from his attacking midfield role - an NYCFC assist record that won’t be broken for a long, long time. After helping to lift MLS cup last year, he has absolutely cemented his legacy as an NYCFC legend.
CM: Alex Ring
One of the select few to ever wear the armband for the club, Alex Ring was a consummate professional for NYCFC and made a very good midfield tick for a very long time. Making 128 appearances for the club, Ring was the heartbeat of our midfield, and usually held down much of the defensive midfield responsibilities, freeing up others to create and attack opposing defenses. Some would call it somewhat of a thankless role, but once or twice a season Ring would come up with an absolute worldie from outside the box to remind everyone of his well-rounded quality.
CM: Yangel Herrera
Although his tenure with NYCFC was rather short lived, his recent ‘glow up’ in La Liga has reminded many NYCFC fans of his early days with the club when he was running the midfield in MLS at just age 19. Sure, we’ve seen teenagers make an impact up top across the league and across world football, but it’s pretty rare that someone so young could have such a profound impact dictating play in the midfield for a high caliber team like NYCFC. His game is so well-rounded, as his strong tackling and ability to win the ball back for his side was pivotal to a very impressive 2018 NYCFC squad. But his calmness on the ball paired with this defensive prowess is what really impressed for NYCFC, and has proven to translate to La Liga as well.
LB: Angeliño
This one might ruffle a few feathers, but I’m going for it: I’m throwing Angeliño into our all-time XI. I supposed the obvious choices would be Ronald Matarrita or Gudi Thórarinsson, but I don’t think I’ve enjoyed watching either of those players as much as I did Angeliño. In 2015, the young Spaniard was just an 18 year old kid wearing no. 69 and fearlessly bombing up and down the left side every chance he got. It was an electric, but all too short-lived period for Angeliño at NYCFC, but he’s proven his quality now abroad becoming a major player for RB Leipzig and demonstrating impressive performances in both the Bundesliga and The Champion’s League for the German club he now calls home. A reach? Sure, but the streets won’t forget Angeliño in an NYCFC shirt.
CB: Alex Callens
An athletic, left-footed CB is a valuable asset for any club, but Alexander Callens has gone above and beyond that description with the work he’s done for NYCFC. A true leader on the field, an immense presence in our backline, and the calmest man in Providence Park on December 11th, 2021, Callens is a true NYCFC hero. With 183 appearances for ‘City, and 32 caps for Peru, Callens is as experienced as he is dominant. And, if he is to leave the club upon his contract experiencing at the end of this season, NYCFC will have a gigantic hole to fill upon his exit.
CB: Maxime Chanot
While Callens has received most of the plaudits for NYCFC's defensive success over the past few seasons, center backs can only really thrive if there is a healthy partnership in the back. And for what seems like forever now, that partnership has been Callens and Maxime Chanot. The Luxembourg international is quite a footballer in his own right, and is among the silkiest center back’s on the ball that I’ve seen in MLS. Pair this with the fact that he tough as nails, brave as all hell, and an outstanding leader in the clubhouse, and you have someone who would be really special for any football club. With a 162 matches under his belt across all competitions, Chanot is a no brainer for an NYCFC All-time XI.
RB: Anton Tinnerholm
While I found it a bit difficult to pick a left back for this all time XI, there are very few question marks as to who was going to be the right back in this team. Anton Tinnerholm on his day has the capability to be the most influential player on the pitch, which is not something often said about a fullback. But, especially for periods in 2020/2021 before his devastating achilles injury, Tinnerholm looked like by far our best player at times, wreaking havoc down the right-hand side, taking on players 1v1, putting dangerous balls into the area, scoring goals, and strapping opposing left wingers. And, his trademark long-range thunderbolts, aptly nicknamed “Tinnerbooms”, create one hell of a highlight reel for the Swede. With 9 goals and 22 assists in 125 appearances, Anton Tinnerholm is definitively the best right back in NYCFC history.
GK: Sean Johnson
As our all time appearances leader, our MLS Cup penalty kick shootout hero, and our captain, Sean Johnson could go far beyond just making a case for our best ever goalkeeper, but could make a serious argument that he is our most important ever player - full stop. With 228 appearances across all competitions, he an absolute iron man. And with 57 clean sheets, he’s been the backbone of a very stout defense for years now. Despite having a big frame, good feet, and impressive reflexes, what impresses me the most about Johnson is his decision making. Even in the biggest moments, Johnson shows composure, intelligence, and poise when it matters most, which is what has helped define him as among the most consistent and dependable keepers in MLS history.
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