Atlanta United: More than just an MLS Cup

After two seasons of dominating MLS, Atlanta United put the star on top with their first-ever MLS Cup. But this championship is about much more than just an MLS Cup.

After two seasons of dominating Major League Soccer for both seasons of their existence, Atlanta United capped off a historic run when they defeated the Portland Timbers 2-0 in front of yet another record-setting crowd of approximately 73,000 fans in Mercedes Benz Stadium to win MLS Cup.

The win itself will go into the history books as the club’s first-ever MLS Cup in what looks to be a dynasty in the making. But the silverware is only the tip of what this club has been able to do.

By now you’ve heard all the saying about Atlanta sports and how nothing really seems to go right in the South. The city has waited 23 years for another championship and has endured multiple heartbreaks with every team that occupies the state of Georgia. Some might even say that the city is cursed, but with a young franchise like Atlanta United, the curse is nowhere to be found.

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MLS prides itself on having one of the youngest fan bases in the nation with younger generations eager to discover the world’s game in their city. Atlanta is no different. Mercedes Benz Stadium is packed with fans who only experienced the pain of Atlanta sports and were not around or couldn’t remember that 1995 night in Fulton County Stadium when the Braves won the city’s last major championship.

This young fan base has been hungry for Atlanta success, for something that themselves and the entire city can rally around and support because they expect to win. Something that didn’t exist in the other professional teams in Atlanta. But now, the Five Stripes are bringing a new sense of pride into the South that wasn’t around before.

Although the club has only been in MLS for two seasons, there almost seems to be a sense of history within the team. Not a history of just Atlanta United, but as if the team was connected with the Falcons, Hawks, and Braves. And the heartbreak the fans endured with their other beloved teams was expected to carry over to the young and fresh Five Stripes. It didn’t. The “curse” of Atlanta is over and, for many, this trophy is for more than just soccer. It’s for the city.

But what Atlanta United has done over two years goes beyond just Atlanta. The success the team has had on and off the field brings a breath of fresh air into a country that has seen better days in the sport.

We all know the USMNT failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup far too well. We are all well aware of the pain of waiting around for the federation to announce a new head coach while seemingly little to no progress has been made for 2022.

Because of this frustration and failure, soccer fans in America have reason to feel that just when we thought the game was growing, we took a massive step back and have to start over once again. While this may be true, the support of Atlanta United gives all MLS fans a sense of life, as their record-setting support and world-class players can show all soccer fans what the sport in America could be.

The Five Stripes have consistently raised the bar in their first two seasons of existence. And while it may frustrate other supporters, the brilliantly run organization can give all fans hope as perhaps it is only a small glimmer of what this league will be for years to come.