Here are the players to know before Charlotte FC begins its 2025 season
A newly signed Premier League star.
The reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
The captain.
These descriptors are instantly identifiable to fans of Charlotte FC, the MLS squad that draws crowds in the 30,000s every time it plays in Bank of America Stadium.
But if you need a quick refresher on this year’s roster — or if you want a quick glimpse into who beyond the cornerstone guys could impact the club this year — we’ve got you covered.
Here’s a quick guide to who you should know before Charlotte FC’s season-opening match, which will take place at Seattle Sounders FC at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Fans can catch the match on Apple TV+.
Charlotte FC coach Dean Smith looking to build on club’s best year yet
When Dean Smith was hired by Charlotte FC last winter, all the natural connections were made. Dean Smith? In North Carolina?! Is he an incarnation of the late legendary Tar Heels basketball coach? And while that all was said in good fun, it’s not hyperbole to say that Charlotte FC’s Smith has done all the right things when it comes to living up to his name.
Smith quickly established a tactical system and culture that his talent adapted to, particularly his defense, which was among the best in MLS last year. He led CLTFC on its best and deepest run in club history, which ended in a heartbreaking and controversial loss in the first round of the playoffs to Orlando City.
Before Charlotte FC, he was a no-nonsense defender as a player and then a highly respected coach in the Premier League. He’s best known for coaching Aston Villa to an English Championship playoff final over Derby County in 2019 — leading his boyhood club and the team his father worked for as a stadium steward for many years back to the Premier League. Immediately before he took the Charlotte FC job, he worked on an interim basis as head coach of Leicester City.
He’s been connected to the Carolinas for a while. He and his family vacationed in Myrtle Beach for years. And his son, Jamie, played soccer at N.C. State and played professionally for the Greenville Triumph for years. Jamie was signed by Crown Legacy FC, the Charlotte FC MLS NEXT Pro side, earlier this year, too.
Eight players to know
Kristijan Kahlina (1): What else is there to say about Charlotte FC’s goalkeeper? His accolades spoke for him last year. Most prominent among them an MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award nod. Last year Kahlina finished first in save percentage (75.63%), tied for first in shutouts (12), tied for first in minutes played (3,060), third in goals against average (1.09) and tied for third in saves (121). Look for another solid season in 2024.
Wilfried Zaha (10): Zaha is the self-assured star Charlotte FC has been looking for. At least the squad hopes so. The former Premier League star landed in Charlotte on loan by virtue of some persistent negotiating from general manager Zoran Krneta. He should provide a much-needed boost to the team’s attack.
Brandt Bronico (13): He’s still rocking the mullet. Still “The Mayor” in fan circles. And through coach after coach after coach, the midfielder is still here, a fan and coach favorite who has become pretty synonymous with the city of Charlotte. He finished with one goal and five assists in 2024, but his impact extends far above his stat line.
Ashley Westwood (8): The former EPL midfielder and armband-wearer is going into his third season with Charlotte FC and re-signed to a multi-year deal in September. He credits Charlotte with “revitalizing” his career; the squad, meanwhile, credits him with sustaining the club’s steady ascension.
Nathan Byrne (14): Count him as another former pro footballer in England who found a home in Charlotte. The defender signed in the summer of Charlotte’s inaugural season and has embraced the team and the community.
Adilson Malanda (29): A lot of people made a big deal of Kahlina’s snub from the MLS All-Star game. But the even worse snub, somehow? Malanda. The Frenchman might just be the best defender in MLS, as Smith noted early in his first season as coach. He and USMNT contributor Tim Ream, who signed to the club last year, help construct one of the best defenses in MLS.
Liel Abada (11): He’s young. He has flair. And he’s good. Abada, entering his second season with Charlotte FC, is a young designated player and was acquired from Celtic on a club-record $2.3 million base salary, The Observer previously reported. He finished with 7 goals in 2024 (second-most on the team), and he established himself as a key player for the Israel National Team in 2024, too. He and Patrick Agyemang (No. 33) — the team’s 6-foot-4 striker who finished with a team-leading 10 goals in 2024 — will lead the offense.
Kerwin Vargas (18): He might not notch a start, but my oh my, is he a spark plug. The Charlotte FC forward since 2022 is creative with the ball and remarkably quick, and he tied for third-most on the team in goals with 6 in 2024. If he can finish off a few more chances this season — and thus do a few more celebratory backflips — then Charlotte will be in good shape.
Saturday’s projected Starting XI
Kristijan Kahlina (GK), Nathan Byrne (defender), Tim Ream (defender), Adilson Malanda (defender), Ashley Westwood (midfielder), Brandt Bronico (midfielder), Pep Biel (midfielder), Andrew Privett (midfielder), Wilfried Zaha (forward), Liel Abada (forward), Patrick Agyemang (forward).
This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
