This summer, Charlotte FC midfielder Pep Biel knew right away his team had struck gold by signing Allan Saint-Maximin.
“The skills,” Biel told Through Lines when asked about his first impressions of Saint-Maximin. “I remember I was very surprised at training: He took the ball and bam, bam! And I said, ‘Ok, that’s good for us.’”
“Good” might be an understatement.
Charlotte have been among MLS’s top teams since Saint-Maximin debuted in August, challenging for a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference.
With 1g/6a in his first 11 league matches and an endless array of skills, the French winger provides moments of magic that made him a cult figure at Premier League side Newcastle United and, most recently, Ligue 1's RC Lens.
“The way I play can close so many doors, you know? And I know that,” Saint-Maximin said of his unapologetically flashy style. “But they can close as many doors as they want. I will never change because it’s my identity.”
That identity, complete with his trademark headbands, is expected to fuel Charlotte as they approach the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs with ever-growing confidence.
“I'm a leader,” said Saint-Maximin, who’s signed a Designated Player contract through the 2028-29 MLS season.
“So I want the team and my teammates to always know [that] in difficult moments or when they will need me the most, I will be there.”
