Where we left off last year
2025 season: 65 points, 2nd in the Eastern Conference, 2nd in MLS
Things were weird for FC Cincinnati last year. On the one hand, they won 20 games, finished second in the Supporters' Shield race, and won a playoff series against their biggest rivals. On the other hand, they won 16 of those games by just one goal and rarely looked cohesive en route to posting the sixth-largest xG differential over-performance in American Soccer Analysis dataset, which goes back to 2013.
Injuries struck at center back and at the base of midfield and the talent around Evander, who was excellent, never quite clicked. Still, there's little doubt that Cincinnati’s 2025 squad featured plenty of building blocks for the year to come.
What changed in the offseason
Notable arrivals:
- Bryan Ramirez, WB/W: There may not be a better match in MLS than “FC Cincinnati” and “converting South American wingers to wingbacks”. More on that later. For now, the 25-year-old who arrived from LDU Quito in Ecuador looks like a good bet to play a major chunk of the minutes left behind by Lukas Engel at left wingback.
- Kristian Fletcher, FW/WB: The former DC United attacker who bounced around England is back in MLS — and is still just 20. Fletcher has U.S. youth national team pedigree and can absolutely make a mark in Cincinnati. Adding the youngster was a savvy bit of business from Cincy’s front office.
