Nashville SC are on the verge of a momentous occasion in their brief, but rich history.
GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, is set to open Sunday afternoon when Nashville host the Philadelphia Union (4 pm ET | ESPN, ESPN Deportes).
That will be the latest defining moment for the Music City boys, but what have been some of the others? Let’s take a trip down memory lane.
It was over four years ago when, at Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame, the Music City became home to an expansion club, set to begin play in the 2020 season alongside Inter Miami CF. Majority owner John Ingram led the bid.
Two years later, the club’s name, crest and colors were unveiled, leaving fans finally able to visualize what their team would look like.
Ian Ayre joined as CEO in May 2018, Mike Jacobs became their general manager that October, and the march to their MLS debut truly moved forward.
Gary Smith was named as the head coach to guide Nashville into MLS and, given the early returns, it was a perfect move.
The Englishman, who guided the Colorado Rapids to an MLS Cup 2010 title, went on to manage Stevenage in his native country before returning stateside to coach NASL side Atlanta Silverbacks from 2014-16. He then joined Nashville ahead of their inaugural USL campaign.
Smith established an identity as being tough to break down, and has since added an attacking flair to make Nashville SC an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs side from day one (back-to-back appearances in 2020 and 2021).
There is no more important signing than a Designated Player. They are the highest-profile and highest-paid players at a club, often the face of the franchise.
The signing of Hany Mukhtar was another home run for Nashville SC.
The German midfielder, acquired from Danish side Brondby, is one of MLS’s most dynamic players in the attacking third. He was named to the 2021 MLS Best XI after registering a combined 28 goals and assists.
Last July, he scored the fastest-ever hat trick (six minutes) to start a league match.
It was a preseason blockbuster trade that saw the expansion side obtain US men's national team center back Walker Zimmerman from LAFC for upwards of $1.1 million allocation money ahead of their expansion season, with the incentive portion of the deal likely met given the massive success he's enjoyed in the Music City.
It was worth every penny. Zimmerman has become the backbone of one of the stoutest defensive units in the league and won consecutive MLS Defender of the Year awards in 2020 and 2021.
Now 28, he seems like a lock for the USMNT's World Cup-bound squad.
Atlanta United spoiled the party on a historic night in Nashville SC's first-ever MLS match, earning a 2-1 victory at Nissan Stadium in front of a crowd of 59,069 onlookers – a Tennessee state record for a soccer match.
Walker Zimmerman scored the first goal in Nashville's MLS history in the 28th minute, and unfortunately, later ATLUTD star striker Josef Martinez suffered a torn ACL.
A win would have made things picture-perfect, but it was still a massive occasion for the club, and the scene at Nissan Stadium lived up to the hype with a star-studded cast of pregame musical performances and a lively atmosphere throughout the match.
Making the playoffs is the goal of any team, and Nashville did that in Year One. They also got their first win, defeating fellow expansion side Inter Miami, 3-0, at then-home Nissan Stadium.
Randall Leal got the party started with a stunning golazo, Hany Mukhtar added a penalty kick and Dax McCarty closed out the scoring in the 57th minute, collecting the ball at midfield and making a charging run all the way to the top of the penalty box, where he curled home a slick finish.
Loba is Nashville SC's club-record signing, joining last July from Liga MX side CF Monterrey for a reported $6.8 million as a Designated Player.
While the club hasn’t yet gotten stellar returns on the field – be it for tactical reasons, coach decisions or player acclimatization – the big-money deal was a sign of Nashville’s willingness to splash the cash in the transfer market.
He's posted one goal and two assists across 27 appearances (440 minutes) in Gold.
Amid a breakthrough second season in MLS, Nashville SC made another important step, breaking ground on the club’s new training facility at Century Farms in Antioch.
The 15-acre complex, located 10 miles southeast of downtown Nashville, will feature three full-size soccer pitches and a state-of-the-art sports facility that's designed to host Nashville SC’s first team and staff.
In case anyone thought the 2020 playoff run was a fluke, Nashville put those thoughts to bed pretty quickly by knocking off Orlando City SC, 3-1, in Round One of the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Mukhtar struck for a brace after the Lions took the lead through Daryl Dike, and Jhonder Cádiz added a stoppage-time insurance goal for good measure.
After calling Nissan Stadium home for their first two seasons, Nashville SC are set to open GEODIS Park Sunday when they take on the Philadelphia Union.
The 30,000-seat, $335 million venue is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, featuring a 360-degree canopy, a 65-foot-wide shared concourse and a safe standing supporter’s section. With just 150 feet of distance between the last row of seats and the touchline, GEODIS Park promises to offer an electric matchday experience bringing fans closer to the action than ever before.
Beforehand, the Coyotes played their first eight games of the 2022 season away from home, going 3W-3L-2D.
