The 2021 FC Cincinnati season was the club's third season in MLS, and the sixth season of a team playing under the FC Cincinnati brand after three years in the lower-division USL Championship. The club finished with a league worst 4–15–4 record in their second MLS season in 2020, one shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio. The season was the first year that FC Cincinnati played home matches at newly built

TQL Stadium TQL Stadium, called West End Stadium during construction, is a soccer-specific stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home of FC Cincinnati, a Major League Soccer (MLS) team that had been temporarily playing at Nippert Stadium. The stadium is lo ...

. FC Cincinnati's offseason transfers were executed under general manager

Gerard Nijkamp Gerard Nijkamp (born 1970) is a Dutch soccer player and manager. He worked in various coaching and managerial roles for Dutch club PEC Zwolle from 1998 until 2019, when he started in his role as general manager of FC Cincinnati. He continued in ...

and head coach

Jaap Stam Jakob Stam (; born 17 July 1972) is a Dutch professional football coach and former player. As a player, he played as a centre-back and is regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation. Stam played for several European clubs including P ...

. On August 6, 2021, Nijkamp and the club mutually agreed to part ways. On September 27, 2021, Stam was relieved of his duties. The team ended the season with a 4–22–8 record, with the team not being able to qualify into the MLS Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Club

Roster

Player movement

In

Out

Loans in

Loans out

2021 MLS SuperDraft picks

Competitions

Preseason

Major League Soccer

League tables

= Eastern Conference

= Overall

Results

Statistics

Appearances and goals

''Numbers after plus-sign(+) denote appearances as a substitute.'' , - ! colspan=16 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center, ''Goalkeepers'' , - ! colspan=16 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center, ''Defenders'' , - ! colspan=16 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center, ''Midfielders'' , - ! colspan=16 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center, ''Forwards'' , - ! colspan=16 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center, ''Players who have played for FC Cincinnati this season but have left the club:'' , -

Top scorers

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Luciano Acosta Luciano Federico "Lucho" Acosta (born 31 May 1994) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a attacking midfielder for Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati. Club career Boca Juniors Acosta made his professional debut for Boca Juni ...

, 7, , 0, , 7 , - , 3 , FW , 19 , align="left",

Brandon Vazquez Brandon Vázquez Toledo (born October 14, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati. Club career Atlanta United Vázquez signed with Major League Soccer expansion club, ...

, 4, , 0, , 4 , - , rowspan="2", 4 , MF , 31 , align="left", Álvaro Barreal , 3, , 0, , 3 , - , MF , 6 , align="left",

Haris Medunjanin Haris Medunjanin (; born 8 March 1985) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Dutch club PEC Zwolle. He started his professional career at AZ, who loaned him to Sparta Rotterdam in 2006. In 2008 he joined Valladolid, ...

, 3, , 0, , 3 , - , rowspan="2", 6 , DF , 5 , align="left",

Gustavo Vallecilla Exon Gustavo Vallecilla Godoy (born 28 May 1999) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Ecuadorian Serie A club Universidad Católica. Career Club career Vallecilla left his home in Esmeraldas, Ecuador at the ...

, 2, , 0, , 2 , - , DF , 18 , align="left", Ronald Matarrita , 2, , 0, , 2 , - , rowspan="7", 8 , DF , 2 , align="left",

Edgar Castillo Edgar Eduardo Castillo Carrillo (born October 8, 1986) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a left-back. Castillo is noted for being one of five players to earn a senior cap for both sides of the United States-Mexico rivalry ...

, 1, , 0, , 1 , - , DF , 3 , align="left",

Tyler Blackett Tyler Nathan Blackett (born 2 April 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays for Rotherham United as a left-back or centre-back. He began his career in the Manchester United youth academy in 2002, and has played on loan for Blac ...

, 1, , 0, , 1 , - , MF , 8 , align="left",

Allan Cruz Allan Enzo Cruz Leal (born 24 February 1996) is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Costa Rica national team. Club career Uruguay de Coronado Born in Nicoya, in the province of Guanacaste, Cruz began his ca ...

, 1, , 0, , 1 , - , FW , 10 , align="left", Jurgen Locadia , 1, , 0, , 1 , - , DF , 14 , align="left",

Nick Hagglund Nicholas Stuart Hagglund (born September 14, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati. Career Xavier University Hagglund played four years of college soccer for th ...

, 1, , 0, , 1 , - , DF , 16 , align="left",

Zico Bailey Zico Locquiao Bailey (born August 27, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right-back. Personal life Zico is the younger brother of Kainoa Bailey who is an international footballer for the Philippines. College caree ...

, 1, , 0, , 1 , - , FW , 23 , align="left", Isaac Atanga , 1, , 0, , 1 , - !colspan="4", Total !37!!0!!37

Top assists

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, 10, , 0, , 10 , - , 2 , MF , 36 , align="left", Rónald Matarrita , 5, , 0, , 5 , - , rowspan="3", 3 , DF , 12 , align="left",

Geoff Cameron Geoffrey Scott "Geoff" Cameron (born July 11, 1985) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender. Cameron began playing college soccer with the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Rhode Island Rams, as well as USL Premier ...

, 3, , 0, , 3 , - , FW , 19 , align="left",

, 3, , 0, , 3 , - , MF , 31 , align="left", Álvaro Barreal , 3, , 0, , 3 , - , rowspan="4", 6 , MF , 6 , align="left",

, 2, , 0, , 2 , - , FW , 9 , align="left", Brenner , 2, , 0, , 2 , - , DF , 16 , align="left",

, 2, , 0, , 2 , - , FW , 23 , align="left", Isaac Atanga , 2, , 0, , 2 , - !colspan="4", Total !32!!0!!32

Disciplinary record

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, , 7 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 7 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 14 , , MF , , align=left, Rónald Matarrita , , 7 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 7 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 7 , , MF , , align=left, Yuya Kubo , , 6 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 6 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 11 , , MF , , align=left,

, , 6 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 6 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 33 , , MF , , align=left,

Caleb Stanko Caleb Stanko (born July 26, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Super League Greece club Lamia. Early life Stanko started playing soccer with the local U.S. Soccer Development Academy club Vardar SC. Won ...

, , 6 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 6 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 2 , , DF , , align=left,

, , 5 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 5 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 8 , , MF , , align=left,

, , 5 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 5 , , 0 , , 1 , - , , 9 , , FW , , align=left, Brenner , , 4 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 4 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 31 , , MF , , align=left, Álvaro Barreal , , 4 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 4 , , 1 , , 0 , - , , 13 , , MF , , align=left,

Joe Gyau Joseph-Claude Agyeman Gyau (born September 16, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a winger for Allsvenskan club Degerfors IF. From 2014 through 2019, Gyau represented the United States national team and earned three cap ...

, , 3 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 3 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 16 , , DF , , align=left,

, , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 19 , , FW , , align=left,

, , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 20 , , MF , , align=left,

Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...

, , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 64 , , MF , , align=left,

Florian Valot Florian Valot (born 12 February 1993) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for USL Championship club Miami FC. Career Early career During his youth years, Valot was a member of the Paris Saint-Germain youth system as ...

, , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 2 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 3 , , DF , , align=left,

, , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 6 , , MF , , align=left,

, , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 14 , , DF , , align=left,

, , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 15 , , MF , , align=left,

Kamohelo Mokotjo Kamohelo Mokotjo (born 11 March 1991) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for Sekhukhune United. After beginning his career in his native South Africa, he came to prominence in the Netherlands with ...

, , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 25 , , GK , , align=left,

Kenneth Vermeer Kenneth Harold Vermeer (born 10 January 1986) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati. A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, Vermeer has played for Jong Ajax, Willem II on loan, ...

, , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 26 , , DF , , align=left,

Chris Duvall Chris Duvall (born September 10, 1991) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a right-back. He is currently an assistant coach for the St. Louis City SC 2 in MLS Next Pro. Born in Duluth, Georgia, Duvall began his care ...

, , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , - , , 23 , , FW , , align=left, Isaac Atanga , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 0 , , 1 , - !colspan=3, Total !!75!!1!!2!!0!!0!!0!!75!!1!!2

Clean sheets

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, 4, , 0, , 4, , 19 , - , 22 , align=left,

Przemysław Tytoń Przemysław Tytoń (; born 4 January 1987) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eredivisie club Twente. Club career Born in Zamość, Tytoń played for Górnik Łęczna until the end of the 2006–07 season when th ...

, 2, , 0, , 2, , 14 , - , 1 , align=left,

Cody Cropper Cody Cropper (born February 16, 1993) is a retired American professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. Youth soccer Born in Atlanta, Cropper moved to Maple Grove, Minnesota when he was 10. He played with the Minnesota Thunder A ...

, 0, , 0, , 0, , 1 , -

Awards

MLS Team of the Week

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, rowspan="2",

Nashville SC Nashville Soccer Club is a Major League Soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The team began play in the league in 2020 as a continuation of the USL club of the same name and plays its home matches at Geodis Park. It is principally owned ...

, GK , rowspan="2", , - ,

, Bench , - , align=center rowspan="2", 6 ,

, rowspan="2",

CF Montréal CF Montréal is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montréal, Québec, Canada. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1992 as the Montreal Impact (french: Impact de Montréal, links=no), ...

, DF , rowspan="2", , - ,

, Coach , - , align=center, 9 ,

, Chicago Fire FC , Bench , , - , align=center, 10 ,

, Toronto FC , MF , , - , align=center, 12 ,

, Columbus Crew , Bench , , - , align=center, 13 , Brenner ,

, FW , , - , align=center, 14 ,

, Atlanta United FC , GK , , - , align=center, 24 ,

, Toronto FC , MF ,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cincinnati 2021 Major League Soccer season Cincinnati FC Cincinnati

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...