In the scorching heat of Arizona, Phoenix Rising Football Club has weathered the elements and risen to become a dominant force in the United Soccer League (USL).
Stellar performances marked 2023, a historic championship win fueled by the strategic acquisition of key players with MLS backgrounds, which raises the question of whether the Phoenix Rising is the best case for a promotion and relegation model in US Soccer’s modern history.
2023 Phoenix Rising: Triumph in the USL Championship
A small but pointed celebration echoed through the Phoenix metropolitan area as the Phoenix Rising FC clinched the USL Championship in 2023 last week while playing Charleston Battery and winning on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
A goal early would put Rising behind, a clean finish in the box by Markanich, who has been playing for the Charleston Battery since 2022 and played for the Chicago Fire and FC Cincinnati until also finding success in the USL.
Then, in the 89th minute, winger Danny Trejo saved a wide ball on the right corner to initiate a cross that would go wide to the left side and then sent right back into the box and into the head of John Stenberg, a 31-year-old Swede, who’s been in the league for only a few games, 13 to be accurate.
THEY’VE ONLY GONE AND DONE IT 𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗜𝗡.@PHXRisingFC SCORE IN THE DYING EMBERS OF THE MATCH TO KEEP THEIR TITLE HOPES ALIVE! 😱#USLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/G3HqeRPnkO
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) November 13, 2023
The six-foot-three-inch center-back had found the back of the net three times in 57 Superettan matches since signing with Öster. It’s hard to conceive that the player ever imagined playing such a pivotal part in Rising’s success in 2023, but the Phoenix front office knew exactly what they were getting when signing the player.
Phoenix Rising: Key MLS Players Leading the Charge
Stenberg is another example of how versatile USL front offices must remain, always looking for talent in different parts of the world, bringing them together in what should be considered the second tier of American soccer despite the US not having an actual pro/rel system.
Looking more closely, though, the Phoenix Rising’s success in 2023 can be attributed to the exceptional performances of 4 key players, each who left a remarkable presence on the pitch, three of whom played in MLS just last year.
First, there were Manuel Arteaga’s contributions, which were spectacular, revealing his goal-scoring prowess. His impact on the team’s offensive capabilities was pivotal in securing the championship, and he will likely get some looks from MLS scouts in the upcoming off-season.
“Undoubtedly, Phoenix Rising would be a great addition to Major League Soccer.”
Pedro Breganholi – Sports agent
Joining Arteaga in the spotlight is former MLS player Danny Trejo, whose experience with LAFC in the top tier of American soccer brought a valuable edge to Phoenix Rising.
Despite limited minutes in the first division, Trejo’s skill set and determination found a new home in the USL, and his contributions undoubtedly played a crucial role in the team’s championship journey, including his efforts to salvage the ball that led to Phoenix’s tying goal and his insane 24 goal contributions in 33 regular season matches.
The acquisitions of Renzo Zambrano from the Portland Timbers and Alejandro Fuenmayor from the Houston Dynamo further strengthened Phoenix Rising’s commitment to bringing MLS-experienced talent together to cross through and win a title.
The Phoenix Rising also brought on Mohammed Traore, another LAFC player on loan, in the middle of the year. All of these players, with their MLS backgrounds, seemed to add a higher level of play while giving valuable insights and mentorship to the squad.
Phoenix Rising: A Case for Pro, Maybe No Rel
I’m not ready to dump Toronto in the USL yet because, let’s face it, the USL doesn’t deserve to carry that cross. That Italian mess should be ownership and MLS to fix, but on the other side of the equation, I can’t think why a Phoenix team, who grandly won USL, couldn’t at least compete with the bottom of Major League Soccer.
The commitment to community engagement, youth development programs, and partnerships with local organizations have solidified the club’s status as a community asset, so tearing this up should expansion plans ever be drawn up for an Arizona MLS team would be a painful process, something much more significant than we’ve seen in San Diego where the Wave was mainly a statement of counterculture in the Southern California soccer scene.
The construction of the soccer-specific 38th St. & Washington is a physical manifestation of the club’s commitment to providing a top-notch experience for its fans.
The intimate stadium would need an expansion, sure. Still, the match day atmosphere reflects the club’s dedication to creating a home for soccer in Arizona, and given the area’s success with pro teams, I see no issues putting butts in seats in one of the largest markets in the country.
Is the Phoenix Rising ready for promotion to MLS?
Team success is often about winning championships and building a lasting legacy that resonates with fans of all ages. In this scenario, robbing Phoenix of its merits in a one-division system is cruel.
The dreamers of pro/rel, however, sometimes forget to take out their calculators and do simple math, instead choosing to scream at prominent X soccer profiles that the US needs pro / rel while not considering what it would take to get there and then, when we’re there, how to make it flourish and long-lasting.
Financial readiness, infrastructure upgrades, market dynamics, and competitive preparedness are all critical to a potential successful transition to Major League Soccer.
Clubs that successfully navigate these considerations could potentially compete and thrive in the top tier of North American soccer, precisely what we saw happen this year in Saint Louis, the 21st largest city in the United States.
As we say in sports, if you build it, they will come.
“Phoenix Rising winning the USL Championship is unsurprising to me since it underwent a rebranding effort in 2017. The Arizona club was born to be champions,” told Pedro Breganholi, a soccer agent in the US.
“With strong names in its ownership group, such as Didier Drogba, Diplo and Pete Wentz, it has only missed the playoffs on one occasion since 2017, precisely last year, when it changed coaches and found a homegrown solution.” said the soccer agent who’s used to working with athletes of different tiers.
“Many people would like to see the Arizona club in the country’s main league, and they say there was already a candidacy in place, but that hasn’t happened so far,” concluded Pedro.
I hope the 2023 success story is a chapter and a prologue to an exciting future for one of the most dynamic and successful clubs in the United Soccer League. The team’s trajectory is about winning titles and establishing itself as a powerhouse in North American soccer. However, can they do it simply in USL, or is Phoenix the best case of a pro/rel case study that the United States has seen since last hosting a World Cup in 1994?
The journey to the top tier, perhaps even to Major League Soccer, seems like a logical next step for a club that has demonstrated its prowess and commitment to excellence. The question for the US soccer gods is: how do you create a path for the Phoenix Rising to get there?
Cover LAFC / X
