New York Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg made it clear before the MLS Cup Playoffs that pundits were woefully underestimating his team’s chances of making a run at a championship. So much so that even after the shocking sweep of Columbus Crew, many were doubting their ability to continue that momentum and topple an NYCFC team that beat them twice in the regular season. Forsberg’s mentality mixed with the team’s grit and passion, helped to push the Red Bulls forward and now they stand one win away from the MLS Cup Final.
“It’s about mentality,” said Forsberg after the win over City. “I’m proud. I think a lot of people should apologize to us now. Before coming into this, I was sure all the time but some weren’t. So I’m happy about the result and we’re looking forward, we have a big game next week.”
Forsberg is a player that has done it all at this point in his career. Starting with lower division RB Leipzig, the team moved into the Bundesliga and the Swedish midfielder became a mainstay with their rabid fanbase. Eventually, they became two-time DFB Pokal winners, defying the odds and overturning the hierarchy of German football. He and the New York Red Bulls hope to do the same in 2024.
Red Bulls have long been brushed aside as an underachieving group that, despite success in the regular season, were perpetually doomed to fail in the playoffs. Their inability to win in 2019 with one of the best team’s ever assembled in MLS, highlighted their issues. Finally it was this past offseason that saw Jochen Schneider share his dissatisfaction with the current setup and vow that things would be different.
Now, one year on from that fateful media conference, Red Bulls stand on the verge of doing something they’ve only done once in their entire 28 year history, make the MLS Cup Final.
“It doesn’t have to be beautiful all the time,” said Forsberg about the team’s style of play. “We stand up like a team. I said it from the beginning, this is what it’s all about.”
Red Bulls will play Orlando City in the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday evening. It is one of the most important games in club history and one that players like Emil Forsberg have shown an ability to define moments in.
photo by Jordan Bank