Since entering the league in 2017, Atlanta United has madeĀ threeĀ appearances in the MLS CupĀ PlayoffsĀ -- and will be making its fourth on Nov. 21. Itās earned the third-highest point total in Major League Soccer. Itās the only team toĀ qualifyĀ for theĀ CONCACAFĀ Champions League three years in a row.Ā In 2019, itĀ became the first MLS team to winĀ CampeonesĀ Cup.Ā Ā
Atlanta Unitedās introduction to MLS has been monumental.Ā The clubĀ hasĀ quickly flourished intoĀ a league leader, setting a standard of consistent success and electric play, andĀ becomingĀ a model for expansion clubs to emulate.Ā The list ofĀ trophiesĀ andĀ accoladesĀ is long, engendering a winningĀ criterionĀ truly distinctive for a clubĀ only five years old.Ā
TheĀ eliteĀ example, theĀ on-the-pitchĀ flair, theĀ pursuitĀ ofĀ glory ā all of it was formedĀ underĀ CarlosĀ BocanegraāsĀ leadership.Ā
And for thatĀ reason, all those achievements,Ā Atlanta United isĀ ensuringĀ BocanegraĀ remains part ofĀ the clubāsĀ long-term future. OnĀ Monday, the club announced thatĀ BocanegraĀ signed a contract extensionĀ that will keep him in Atlanta for the next several years.Ā Ā
"Weāre building a legacy at Atlanta United, oneĀ that sets the standard for the rest of the league, thatās committed toĀ pushing the sport forward not just here but around the world,ā Bocanegra said. āAnd Iām just happy to be a part of it.āĀ Ā
BocanegraĀ has played a significant role atĀ Atlanta United since theĀ clubās inception. He startedĀ asĀ Technical Director of the club in 2015Ā and was promotedĀ in 2017Ā to his current role asĀ Vice President and Technical Director.Ā Ā
āAt the time, I felt this was going to be a great fit,ā he said.Ā āI wanted to be a part of a successful organization as well asĀ give myself the best chance to be successful.āĀ Ā
And heās certainly done that. During his time,Ā Atlanta United entered the league in 2017. In its first season, AtlantaĀ made the MLS Cup Playoffs. The following season in 2018,Ā itĀ wonĀ MLS Cup and then wonĀ Lamar HuntĀ U.S. Open CupĀ in 2019,Ā making AtlantaĀ the onlyĀ MLSĀ team toĀ win bothĀ since the club joined the league.Ā
WhenĀ PresidentĀ Darren EalesĀ brought onĀ BocanegraĀ in 2015, the two shared a vision. They dug in and determined what type of style they wantedĀ for their newĀ club. TheyĀ envisioned a team that could play on the front footĀ in a way thatĀ producedĀ aĀ high-paced style of soccer.Ā Their aim was to create a product that was exciting and electric.Ā Ā
From there,Ā BocanegraĀ tookĀ theirĀ vision andĀ applied it toĀ the teamās construction. HeĀ determined whatĀ player qualitiesĀ could help theirĀ vision come to life. HeĀ looked for thoseĀ traitsĀ inĀ his scouting and created aĀ player profileĀ thatĀ becameĀ the direction the club has takenĀ ever sinceĀ when it scouts talent, signsĀ prospectsĀ andĀ buildsĀ its roster.Ā Ā
The profile:Ā aĀ fun, fast,Ā attacking player.Ā A player who, when the ball comesĀ toĀ his feet, makes peopleĀ in the standsĀ get on theirsĀ and payĀ a littleĀ more attention.Ā
āWe wanted to bring in a little more flair, a little more excitement,āĀ BocanegraĀ said. āWe wanted to bring in younger players, who arenāt yet household names, who maybe are on the brink of becoming that. And weāre very fortunateĀ with our fan base and our popularity that we can build and create stars here.āĀ
Those stars include a slew ofĀ young, excitingĀ players:Ā Josef MartĆnez,Ā MiguelĀ AlmirĆ³n, TitoĀ Villalba,Ā Pity Martinez,Ā Ezequiel BarcoĀ andĀ Luiz AraĆŗjo, the teamās latest additionĀ whoĀ Bocanegra scouted andĀ signed in August.Ā Ā
Each of these players fit the profile thatĀ BocanegraĀ madeĀ and instituted at Atlanta United: playersĀ a step away fromĀ stardom whoĀ canĀ play a fun, fast and attackingĀ brandĀ of soccer.Ā The profile molded the clubās identity,Ā and to this day,Ā isĀ the type of player Bocanegra and his staff go after.Ā Ā
The player profileĀ also guidedĀ the decisions Bocanegra makes. Itās why in August heĀ and EalesĀ hiredĀ Gonzalo PinedaĀ to be their head coach. Pineda was someone who understood theĀ vision they sharedĀ when the club was built.Ā HeāsĀ embracedĀ theĀ clubās valuesĀ andĀ has committedĀ to the attacking style of play that Bocanegra aspiresĀ Atlanta United to embody.Ā
āItās all about whatās the best intention, for theĀ club, the fan base, and the city,ā Bocanegra said. āEvery conversation we have is about how we can make Atlanta United the premier club in MLS and the United States.āĀ Ā
Atlanta United fansĀ haveĀ welcomed the playersĀ BocanegraĀ has brought in, whichĀ in turnĀ has ledĀ to the clubāsĀ affableĀ relationship with its city.Ā The team continues to lead the league in home attendanceĀ andĀ setĀ records in season ticket sales, single-gameĀ attendanceĀ and single-season average attendance.Ā Ā
āWeāveĀ done an excellent job locally and regionally,Ā reaching out and connecting to fans in Atlanta,āĀ BocanegraĀ said. āAnd weāre going to make sure they have a good experience.āĀ Ā Ā
The club will continue to value its relationship to its home city.Ā ButĀ Bocanegra is alsoĀ looking further.Ā What if the club can bring more people in? What would it be like to see AtlantaĀ UnitedĀ kits onĀ retailĀ stands inĀ countriesĀ like England or Mexico or Sudan?Ā How canĀ Atlanta United beĀ included inĀ theĀ globalĀ conversationsĀ alongside some of soccerās major andĀ mostĀ popular brands?Ā
BocanegraĀ believes, with how rapidly MLSĀ isĀ changing, that Atlanta United could be on its way there.Ā
āI think that dedication to everyone in the sport āĀ coaches, players,Ā trainers,Ā parents, kids ā how do we continue to have soccer be their number one choice?ā he said.Ā āGetting more exposure willĀ continue to drive the sport forward. AndĀ thatĀ will catch us upĀ and get us very near.āĀ Ā
TheĀ National Soccer Hall of FameĀ inducteeĀ andĀ former captain of the U.S. menās national soccer team already knows what it takes to buildĀ aĀ product on the field into one that can equate to othersĀ aroundĀ the world. He has his eyes onĀ the U.S.Ā hosting the World Cup in 2026 andĀ understandsĀ theĀ significantĀ impactĀ that hosting aĀ worldwideĀ eventĀ in AmericanĀ citiesĀ like AtlantaĀ willĀ have onĀ growing theĀ sport of soccer:Ā
āYou see this next generation of players here playing in America, likeĀ Miles Robinson, who are going in and starting for their national teams,ā he said. āWeāre really raising the bar here. Off the field, weāreĀ definitely theĀ leaders in the industry.Ā SoĀ itās more about how do we continue to develop that on-the-field product.āĀ
Atlanta United has already attained so much success. And the standard will continue to be thatĀ ofĀ competingĀ for championshipsĀ andĀ trophies,Ā which it hasĀ provenĀ this yearĀ byĀ making aĀ pushĀ in the second half of the seasonĀ to clench its fourth berthĀ inĀ theĀ MLS CupĀ Playoffs.Ā
ButĀ BocanegraĀ is thinking bigger, and the next phase of his tenure at Atlanta United will be aboutĀ makingĀ efforts to achieve that:Ā
āWeāre really trying to cement ourselves as the premiere club in MLS and striving to become a global brand.ā
![Championships And Trophies, Carlos Bocanegra Has Even More In Mind For Atlanta United](https://images.mlssoccer.com/image/private/t_keep-aspect-ratio-e-mobile/f_auto/mls-atl-prd/gdbgqp4saiitpumzzf4q.jpg)