FRISCO, TEXAS — The New Year has brought FC Dallas signings like Peter Musa and a talent development partnership with S.L. Benfica.
And for FC Dallas President Dan Hunt’s family, another Lombardi Trophy.
While the Kansas City Chiefs are no strangers to winning Super Bowls, with Patrick Mahomes winning his third title in just five years, they serve as inspiration for FC Dallas.
When asked about whether he would rather win the Super Bowl or the MLS Cup, Hunt answered with “let’s hope I have that problem… I will enjoy both equally if that happens.”
To make that a reality, Hunt said the club signed Musa, the biggest signing and largest acquisition fee in franchise history, to complement Jesús Ferreira.
“Our goal here is to lift trophies,” Hunt said.
And as for the club’s vision for 2024 and beyond? Produce the greatest player in the world.
“One day, the United States will develop the best player in the world: it’s the inevitable thing,” Hunt said. “Our vision is to develop that player here at FC Dallas—the Patrick Mahomes of soccer.”
While wearing a pair of red shoes to FC Dallas’ Season-Opening Press Conference to symbolize the Chiefs and FC Dallas, Hunt said he also wore them as an ode to Benfica, the Portuguese powerhouse that is now partnered with FC Dallas to “create a constellation of academies and pathways,” according to Bernardo Faria de Carvalho, Benfica’s International Expansion Chief Executive.
Carvalho said the two clubs “have the same DNA.”
And why partner with a club in America? Because, “America is the future of football,” Carvalho said. “We’re going to create a pathway, something no one has ever seen—this is a huge first step.”
Technical Director André Zanotta said the partnership that has been in the works for the past year will help FC Dallas rethink how they analyze, coach, target and recruit players.
“We are considered the best developer of youth players for U.S. Soccer,” Hunt said. “We have generations of great players coming through FC Dallas, and [this partnership] will raise the level of play for not only FC Dallas, but also U.S. Soccer.”
Part of what Hunt said made the Chiefs so great is their locker room culture.
As for the FC Dallas locker room? “It might be the best it’s ever been,” Hunt said.
He said players are fighting for each other, that they have great leadership and are more mature this season.
What better chemistry could a team have heading into the coming season, of which the club has “sold more season tickets than ever before” with “sponsorship levels higher than they’ve ever been,” according to Hunt.
“It’s an exciting preseason we’ve had already,” Hunt said.
And in just over a week, that excitement will channel into Toyota Stadium for FC Dallas’ home opener against the San Jose Quakes.
