The start of the 2015 MLS season saw New York City FC make their Major League Soccer debut. But where are those inaugural 18 players now?
New York City FC’s first Major League Soccer cash came against fellow expansion-side Orlando City on March 8th, with Kaká’s last-minute equaliser earning a point for the Lions.
The Sky Blues went on to finish in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, missing out on the playoffs by twelve points in their inaugural year in the league, but have since become a dominant team in MLS. Nevertheless, where are those original 18 players now?
Let’s take a look at the 18 individuals manager Jason Kreis selected for New York City FC’s MLS bow.
GK – Josh Saunders – Unattached
The starting goalkeeper for New York City FC the day they made their MLS debut was American-born Josh Saunders. He played 33 times over the course the 2015 campaign for the Sky Blues.
Saunders made his professional debut for the Portland Timbers in 2003, whilst he was on loan from the San Jose Earthquakes. After a permanent spell with the Timbers, Saunders then signed for LA Galaxy, before immediately being loaned back to Portland.
He then had spells with Puerto Rico Islanders and Miami FC before moving back to the Galaxy, where he made his MLS debut in 2008. Shortly after that, Saunders made his international bow, playing twice for the Puerto Rico side, keeping clean sheets in both games against Bermuda.
The shot-stopper spent another four seasons in California before making the move to Real Salt Lake. He then joined NYCFC a year later, and spent a season with the side before they made the transition to MLS.
He played 66 times for the club in his two-year spell in MLS, before then signing for Orlando City ahead of the 2017 term. Saunders had a short spell with the Lions’ B team but has been unattached since the end of that season.