With an outstanding season, Cucho Hernández has become the heartbeat of Columbus Crew, breaking records and becoming one of the best players in MLS. Last Saturday, beating Philadelphia Union 3-2 brought in more than three points to this team. In addition, it set a new club record that solidifies the good run which the Crew are on this season.
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Cucho Hernández: The Protagonist of an Historic Season
On Saturday, Cucho scored twice, bringing his season total to an impressive 19 goals and 13 assists. Those gaudy numbers place the Colombian forward at the top of the Crew's history for goal contributions with 32 direct goal involvements - goals and assists combined - passing Stern John's 1998 record of 31 contributions. It's a great achievement, but when you ask Cucho what's behind it all, his answer is straightforward and honest: "I believe in myself."
Talent was one thing, but Cucho also stood out for having the confidence in his abilities. "I always try," he said after the game. "You watch me play, you'll see I try things. Make mistakes sometimes over and over and over. Don't stop. The next play, I might get an assist or score a goal."
This is the confidence and audaciousness that make Cucho not just an effective finisher but a leader on the field. He knows for continued surprise of opponents, constant innovation is required. "Other teams know us very well now," he explains. "So we need to try something different. That's just how I play."
Cucho Hernández and the MLS MVP Race
Numbers like those mean Cucho has been a solid candidate for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award. The Columbus Crew fans have made their voices heard, too, as the chants of "MVP" can be heard from the stands of Lower.com Field. But Cucho doesn't fly high on his success: "It's the first time I've heard that," he said with a smile. "It was a special night, but I really don't care that much about the individual award. The most important thing is winning as a team, as a family."
Despite all personal success, Cucho puts the team above everything else. To him, even with personal accolades, the main goal remains winning titles with a group. And so far, Columbus Crew has reached that standard.
Records and More Records: Columbus Crew's Golden Season Cucho's success goes hand in glove with the historic season that Columbus Crew is having this year. Columbus has also already reached 60 points, a new club record after their previous best of 57 points in 2008 and 2023. The Crew's 17 wins against top opposition also tie the record for most single-season wins, set back in 2008, as they have two games left to play.
This show is a result of the well-planned collective job, with the head coach at its helm, Wilfried Nancy. Yet, notwithstanding all the success of the team, he is not quite satisfied. "I always say: 'It's an infinite game,'" Nancy says. "There's always something to improve. My job is to challenge my players, to see what we can do to get even better. Life is all about challenges, and soccer is no different."
Nancy has instilled a winning attitude into Columbus Crew, focusing on team development as much as short-term success. And it appears this approach is spot on.
Playoff Home-Field Advantage
For their part, a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference secured home-field advantage for Columbus Crew until at least the semifinals of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. This could be important for the team to make a further title push with the ardent support of its fans at Lower.com Field.
The defending MLS Cup champions are coming off their Leagues Cup win this season, looking to add more silverware to the collection. Should they win again, the Crew will be the first team to win in consecutive fashion since the LA Galaxy's in 2011-12.
The Power of the Collective: More Than Just Cucho
While Cucho may be the brightest star, Columbus Crew's success soars way beyond just one player. Midfielder Dylan Chambost spoke to the importance of the records the team has broken: "Breaking all these records is huge. We're proud of it, but we have to keep fighting until the end."
Defender Mo Farsi seconded that: "Every time we step on the field, we give 100%. You can see the connection we have as a team. We're in this together."
That unity, the team-first mentality, has been the rock upon which Columbus Crew has built its strong performances this season. Players know what needs to be done and make sure that all efforts are channeled towards one goal: to win-together.