'This team made history.' FC Cincinnati players reflect on 2023 MLS season

Luciano Acosta likely spoke for many FC Cincinnati fans as he described his personal, slow process of coming to grips with the end of the 2023 season.

"I have a lot of thoughts," Acosta said via a team interpreter. "I just don’t want to dredge them up right now. I struggle to sleep, I struggle to wake up thinking about it."

The "it" Acosta referenced was FC Cincinnati's stunning, 3-2 loss in the MLS Cup Eastern Conference final Saturday to arch-rival Columbus Crew. By Tuesday morning, as players completed end-of-year check-ins and chores prior to departing for the offseason, the pain of the defeat was still hanging in the air at the Mercy Health Training Center.

More: Columbus Crew rallies late for win over FC Cincinnati in MLS playoffs

More: FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta talks MVP award, his favorite goals in 2023, and Pat Noonan

Acosta was one of almost 20 first-team players interviewed Tuesday by local media at the club's suburban training complex. Each player carried a unique perspective from 2023 and while their experiences and accompanying remarks spanned a spectrum of emotions, the players made available reflected the true, full story of the 46-game, 27-win, Supporters' Shield-winning campaign.

With FCC's players signing off for good in 2023 − many with the intention of returning to play for Cincinnati in 2024 but some also likely saying their final goodbyes ahead of offseason departures − Tuesday was a day filled with sober reflections on an unforgettable year pockmarked by two cup semi-final losses and a few other sour notes.

"I thought we were unfortunate to not win the game (Saturday) but when you look at the balance of play over 120 minutes, we can’t really say that we deserved to win the game," Cincinnati goalkeeper Alec Kann said during his final media session with local reporters in 2023. "I thought we had some chances to make it 3-0 and kind of shut the door on (Columbus) but we weren’t able to. They got the (first) goal and then I thought we kind of just ran out of legs from chasing them around for 80 minutes. They were able to knock on the door and eventually broke their way in."

“All credit to them. They’re the best team we’ve played this year."

Brandon Vazquez, who is under contract with FC Cincinnati but figures to be targeted for a move to Europe in January, stated his pride for being a part of the club's first major trophy. But like many of his teammates, Vazquez indicated he was still grappling with the reality of the season ending unexpectedly.

The contrast between pride in the club's 27 victories across all competitions and regret in capturing only one trophy was a prominent theme.

"It hurt Saturday, especially losing versus Columbus but I think they’re one of the best teams we’ve played all season, so props to them. They played a really good game," Vazquez said. "Reflecting on the rest of the season, this team made history. I’ve said it plenty of times – this team is special. Next season, I think the expectations of this team are just as high. So, just looking back, it’s been an unbelievable season. Lots and lots of ups more than downs. Very grateful to be part of this club, part of this team and be part of the team that made history."

More from Tuesday's interviews:

Brandon Vazquez ready for a move to Europe

It's entirely possible we've seen the last of Vazquez in an FC Cincinnati shirt. Vazquez is eyeing a USMNT roster spot for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and he calculates the best way to achieve it is by proving himself with a top-flight European club.

He's earned the right to go if this turns out to be his time to go abroad.

Vazquez was acquired in a trade during Nashville SC's expansion draft in November 2019. For the price of $150,000 worth of Targeted Allocation Monday, FC Cincinnati gained its all-time leading scorer (42 goals across all competitions) and a player whose time at the club will age well, likely cementing him as one of FCC's early MLS legends down the road.

The investment to acquire Vazquez truly came good during his breakout, MLS Best XI 2022 season, and he didn't try to force a move to Europe at the first sight of consistent success. Rather, he accepted a reasonable raise from FC Cincinnati, which seemed at the time like a reward as much as it was an incentive to stick around long enough to see out the completion of the club's on-field rebirth.

Over the final third of 2022 and the entirety of 2023, Vazquez continued to represent the club with distinction and class even as European suitors wooed him. He ultimately played a huge role in helping bring FCC the 2023 Supporters' Shield, the club's first major trophy.

Given all that, it wasn't surprising Tuesday when Vazquez said he'd been told he had the support of FC Cincinnati's top brass regarding a potential move to Europe.

"My personal goals, my objectives, my dreams have always been to play in Europe," Vazquez said. "Right now, I'm thinking I've got to fight for a spot on the U.S. national team roster for the World Cup coming up (in 2026), so I think the best way to achieve that would be to be playing overseas... So, if the opportunity comes up this next window, it's something I've had conversations with this club about and I know the ownership group and Chris (Albright) and Pat (Noonan) are all on my side."

Some question whether or not a Vazquez move to Europe at this moment would see him go at the height of his powers. He's also pondered that subject in the wake of a year-over-year drop in his counting statistics in MLS play.

"I’ve thought about that quite a bit recently," Vazquez said as he discussed his 2023 output (eight goals, four assists in MLS play) versus his 2022 campaign (18 goals, eight assists).

If you want to criticize Vazquez's 2023 league form, the numbers are seemingly at your service. But limiting your analysis to league play would mean overlooking, or just altogether ignoring, so much of Vazquez's 2023 story.

For FC Cincinnati at-large, the 2023 season was all about the cup competitions. There were three separate cup campaigns and Vazquez was the club's strongest attacking player in those matches. He scored nine additional goals over 12 cup contests (U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup and MLS Cup postseason), putting him at 17 tallies across all competitions.

Vazquez's cup goals were big goals, too. Not just big in the here-and-now. They were big as in they'll be remembered for years to come.

Vazquez netted the club's only hat-trick of 2023. He did it against Mexican heavyweight Chivas Guadalajara in Leagues Cup, and in a memorable match that took two days to complete due to a weather delay. Vazquez also scored in both of the club's cup semifinal matches, tallying against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF in the Open Cup and Columbus on Saturday (the Crew game was branded as a conference "final" but in the overall scheme of the MLS postseason, it was the semifinal round).

Vazquez also debuted for the senior U.S. men's national team and scored four times, giving him 21 goals for the entire year for club and country.

It was a different kind of season for Vazquez compared to 2022. He sprinkled his production across an array of competitions during arguably the most congested and demanding season ever for MLS clubs. He also played alongside a shuffling cast of strike partners in the club's two-forward system.

Make no mistake, this was not a "bad" year. Europe should look favorably on what transpired for Vazquez at TQL Stadium in 2023.

"I think I still had a good year this year," Vazquez said. "Last year was a special year for me and I broke through every expectation that was (there) for me, and this year it was even higher expectations. Everybody expects me to be scoring 20-plus goals a season, which, overall across all the competitions, I was able to achieve. In the regular season I did feel a little underwhelmed with the goals I was able to provide but at the same time, we were still winning all these games.

"We were still achieving great things and adding up points to ultimately get to Supporters' Shield, so sometimes I had to do the dirty work in the defensive side of things. That sometimes put me out of situations where I wasn't scoring but at the end of the day, if we're winning, that's all that made me happy. Seeing this team get these achievements made me extremely happy... I'm just as happy as I was in 2022."

Vazquez is FC Cincinnati's all-time leading scorer with 42 career goals over four seasons (all competitions), leading Acosta (39 goals).

Aaron Boupendza optimistic about Gabon nat'l team future

Aaron Boupendza had a brush with controversy during FC Cincinnati's playoff run as he was dismissed from the Gabon national team's November camp for failing to arrive on time. He said Tuesday that he sees a path back into the good graces of the Gabon federation but some FC Cincinnati fans will likely need to see consistent off-field discipline from the player in order to feel reassured.

At the time of his Gabon dismissal, Boupendza was just weeks removed from facing discipline from FC Cincinnati for a late return to the Queen City following a stint with Gabon. Understandably, fans and observers were concerned about the appearance of repeated lateness from Boupendza.

FC Cincinnati downplayed Boupendza's Gabon dismissal, mostly by emphasizing that he hadn't run afoul of the club itself during the episode, but some fans were still unnerved.

More: After national team dismissal, FC Cincinnati GM says club is supporting Aaron Boupendza

On Tuesday, Boupendza downplayed the incident with his national team.

"No, I don't have any particular problem with anybody in the national team," Boupendza said via interpreter. "It's just a miscommunication. That's all it was. That's how it started."

Asked to clarify his position, Boupendza said, "It's like this in Africa. Sometimes bad communication, good communication.... If I go there now for holiday, I would see my coach."

Boupendza also indicated he did plan to return to Gabon soon, adding, "it's my country."

Nick Hagglund targeting March return from surgery recovery

Nick Hagglund gave fans at TQL Stadium a thrill on Saturday when he tossed his crutches aside during the pre-match sword ceremony on the field. Unfortunately, that was all for show.

Hagglund said Tuesday he'll still use the crutches − a necessity after his season-ending surgery for an injury that occurred in training during the postseason − for up to two more weeks. After that, months of recovery work remain, and Hagglund indicated he could be behind the rest of his teammates to begin 2024.

"I think March is maybe the time we're expecting me to be back," Hagglund said.

Hagglund's injury occurred during the first-round playoff series with the New York Red Bulls. It was a significant setback for the team that became exacerbated later by separate suspensions assessed to Matt Miazga stemming from the Nov. 4 series clincher at Red Bull Arena.

Combined, Hagglund's and Miazga's absences stretched FCC thing along its back line as the club was short on natural center backs for the final two playoff matches.

After signing a contract extension in-season in 2023, Hagglund isn't done contributing to FC Cincinnati. The club's all-time leader in appearances, games started and minutes played is scheduled to run it back in 2024, marking his sixth season with FCC. A product of Lakota West and Xavier University, Hagglund is Cincinnati's only remaining player from its inaugural MLS roster in 2019.

Obinna Nwobodo talks postseason injury

The injury Obinna Nwobodo suffered in the second match of the MLS Cup playoffs took center stage during his 10-minute window for questions and answers.

He said Tuesday he knew when he came off the field Nov. 4 at Red Bull Arena, holding a cleat in-hand, that he "wouldn't be able to manage it." Nwobodo also conceded he played in pain as a substitute in Saturday's Eastern Conference final against Columbus, and he indicated his recovery process is still ongoing.

Matt Miazga: 'Punishment didn't fit what happened'

One of the lasting images of FC Cincinnati's 2023 season was Matt Miazga, the Major League Soccer Defender of the Year, watching his club from the sidelines during FCC's biggest playoff games.

The nature of Columbus' performance in the conference final didn't leave much doubt about which team was superior on the night, but for some FCC supporters, they'll attach a "what if" to the fact that Miazga wasn't available.

Miazga was sanctioned by the MLS Disciplinary Committee after it investigated allegations from the post-match period following the Nov. 4 MLS Cup playoff match at Red Bull Arena. Tuesday was Miazga's first chance to address the situation after previously declining to comment during the playoff run while the league's investigation was ongoing.

"I was the only one that hadn't spoken the whole time along this whole, I guess, situation and chain of events because I was told not to by many people, and I wasn't allowed to, but now that obviously everything is finished and over, I would just want to say − my teammates already all know this and my coaching staff, all the technical staff and people in the front office − but I want to take responsibility, obviously, for what has happened," Miazga said. "My intentions didn't really play out to what has actually happened and I take full responsibility. I'm disappointed in obviously how the process, the investigation process has taken place and what has come out publicly but ultimately, I can sit here and talk about details and say 'this was wrong, that was wrong,' but the reality is everything is finished.

"I take responsibility from what happened and I'm gonna learn from the situation."

Miazga added that he felt an incorrect version of events was put forth. Separately, he said he felt "the punishment didn't fit what happened" but emphasized he needed to move forward.

Miazga's assessment of the 2023 season was one of the more balanced offered Tuesday. He acknowledged the bitter end of the postseason but highlighted the club's regular-season dominance.

"We won the league and we won it pretty comfortably," Miazga said. "Winning the league is the most important title. It's the culmination of a 34-game season where I feel like we dominated pretty much every single time we stepped on the pitch."

What's next for FC Cincinnati?

Somewhere between five and six weeks from now, FC Cincinnati's 2024 preseason will begin. The short turnaround is a product of several factors, chief among the club's deep postseason run and its qualification for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, which could begin play in mid-February.

More details about the Champions Cup are expected in the coming weeks.

The club's roster decisions were revealed Wednesday. Other offseason events are already upon FCC, including the 2023 Adidas MLS College Showcase, which starts Wednesday and runs through Saturday in Phoenix.

Free agency opens Dec. 13, too, so in a lot of ways, there won't be much of an offseason at all for the FC Cincinnati community.

Before long, the club will be revealing its 2023 schedule and a forthcoming secondary kit.

If you're still smarting from the loss to Columbus, don't worry. You'll likely be considering and booking travel arrangements to FCC's away matches before you know it.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'This team made history.' FC Cincinnati players reflect on 2023