Meet Ben Bender: Nature-lover and Charlotte FC’s No. 1 MLS draft pick with a USMNT dream
.jpg "Maryland midfielder Ben Bender was drafted first overall by Charlotte FC on Tuesday.")
Ben Bender is a self-described outdoorsman who will likely feel right at home among North Carolina’s trees and trails.
His familiarity with Charlotte is limited to the knowledge his older brother, Jacob Bender, gleaned while playing with the USL’s Charlotte Independence in 2017, then passed on to Ben ahead of his selection in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.
The youngest Bender, like his brothers before him, was coached by their father, Mark Bender, playing youth soccer in the Baltimore area growing up. That was before Ben became the Big Ten Midfielder of the Year in 2021 thanks to his dominant midfield presence at the University of Maryland. It was also before he signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer this year, and before he was named Charlotte FC’s first overall draft selection on Tuesday.
His achievements have come in rapid succession, but Bender is staying grounded with a sense of “discipline and loyalty and excellence” that’s part of his family code. Next, comes the move to Charlotte with a goal of eventually making the U.S. Men’s National Team.
He spoke to The Observer about that, his best soccer position, why he sees himself as a “reliable guy” for the MLS expansion team and more on the day of his selection.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Alex Andrejev: You were selected as the No. 1 pick in the MLS Superdraft today, joining the ranks of players like Daniel Pereira, Jack Harrison and Andre Blake. How are you feeling about that?
Ben Bender: It’s been really, really exciting. My family was all there to celebrate it with me. I’m just so blessed to have them by my side. I can’t thank them enough. My two older brothers (Jacob and Josh) and my dad (Mark) have pushed me so much to get to the position where I am today and my mom (Mindy) has been there also right by my side. I’m feeling really excited, blessed and thankful for this opportunity.
AA: Was your dad a player, too? It seems like you have some soccer roots.
BB: He didn’t play in college, but he played in high school and played in a bunch of leagues around Maryland and he just loves the game so much. That’s how my brothers and I got into the game and he started coaching my brothers and eventually coached me (at Lutherville-Timonium Soccer Club, up until high school).
AA: Your brother, Jacob Bender, played for the Charlotte Independence for a stint in 2017. Has he shared anything about what the city’s like?
BB: I talked with him last night about the city of Charlotte. He was telling me all about his experience and he was able to connect with a bunch of good guys down there, so I’m expecting the same thing. And he loved the city. He told me a bunch of spots and was clicking on addresses in Google Maps. He was telling me about North Carolina and some places he visited, so I’m not only excited about the soccer, but excited to live down there in Charlotte.
AA: What’s your impression of the city, based on what he was saying?
BB: He was telling me that it’s a new city. It has a lot of younger people. It’s really clean. And he was also telling me about some outdoor places. We (spend a lot of time) in the outdoors, too. The whitewater rafting place?
AA: The Whitewater Center. That’s a big destination ... Has MLS always been the goal for you? And how are you looking at the next transitional steps?
BB: (The University of) Maryland was awesome. Sasko (Cirovski), the head coach, and assistant coaches were great. They definitely prepared me for the past two years for this next step. I’ve been preparing for a while, and I’m just trying to get my body in the best shape. I’ve been working out and trying to get stronger and faster because I know that MLS is a really physical league. MLS and the men’s national team have been a goal of mine for the past three or four years, so that’s how I’ve been preparing and what my goals are. I know it’s gonna be a process and I’m gonna have to continue to work harder than I already have, but I’m gonna enjoy it the whole time.
AA: How would you describe your soccer skillset to someone who’s never seen you play before?
BB: I’d say my best position is a box-to-box midfielder. I love to cover ground to impact a game on every level. On the defensive side, I hate not having the ball and I always want to get it back as quickly as possible, so I’m gonna re-press the opposition as fast as I can. And then on the attacking side, I love to put the strikers and wingers into really good positions so that leads to goal-scoring opportunities. I just love dominating the other team and getting as many chances as possible, and that’s something I’m gonna continue to work on. My best attribute is my vision and my ability to see the game and my passing, so I think that vision and passing will definitely be something that will help me thrive at Charlotte.
AA: How would you describe your personality to someone that doesn’t know you? If you weren’t playing soccer, what else would you be doing?
BB: I love the outdoors. I love going fishing, hiking, biking, camping, so if I’m not playing soccer, then I’m probably going to do some of that stuff. I’m also very intentional with relationships. I don’t have deep relationships with a lot of people. I think that’s because I invest my time into (ones) I choose, and I think I’m someone who will be reliable at Charlotte because of the way I’ve been raised. I’ve been so blessed to have two great parents. My dad has especially instilled into my brothers and me a sense of discipline and loyalty and excellence in everything that we do, so I’m definitely going to be a reliable guy for the people down there.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 8:23 PM.
