After a frenetic few weeks packed with matches, the short break for the Gold Cup kickoff offered a rare chance for Atlanta United’s players to reflect on how far the team has come this year. From the first kickoff to the first goal, win, loss and every high and low in between, there’s been plenty of memorable moments in the first half of the team’s inaugural season. But when asked to pick his favorite, there was one that stuck out for one of Atlanta United’s first MLS All-Stars, Miguel Almirón.
“I’m always going to remember that first game against the Red Bulls,” Almirón told ATLUTD.com through a translator. “Even though we lost, after the game the fans were still there applauding us. That was really impressive to me and that’s what stuck out to me from the first half of the season.”
Despite all the goals – a league-leading 39 of them – and surpassing the expectations of many so far to reach 4th place in the Eastern Conference, it was unanimous: none of those achievements on the field have meant as much to the players as what’s happening off of it.
“Just the atmosphere in Atlanta has been special,” said Atlanta United’s other MLS All-Star this season, Greg Garza. “It’s been unreal, unexpected. I don’t think anyone on this team expected 45,000 or so people at every game. I did not expect them to be screaming their heads off every single game.”
Atlanta’s first-ever captain, Michael Parkhurst also pointed to that the home debut at Bobby Dodd Stadium is something he’ll remember not just this season, but for the rest of his life.
“Just walking out there, experiencing the environment, experiencing the love and the passion from the fans,” Parkhurst said. “It was an awesome night, even though the result didn’t go our way, I think it’s a game that I’ll always remember. It was a special moment”
Those memories will last in the minds of Atlanta United fans long after this season has passed. But the players themselves aren’t immune to that sentimentality, saying that even as a bright future awaits, it will be a bittersweet moment to move on from Atlanta United’s first home.
“The atmosphere that the people have created in Bobby Dodd almost makes me want to stay at Bobby Dodd,” Garza laughed. “But I’m sure they can make it happen again at Mercedes Benz.”
But the passion shown from the first game on all across the city has given the players hope that the passion of the fans – in the stands, and in their daily lives – can live on.
“This is a brand new organization,” Garza said. “The first year is probably always the best year for fans to come to games, but hopefully fans can stay faithful and stay like that for the next ten years and beyond.”
Parkhurst is confident the faith, the loyalty and the commitment isn’t going away any time soon.
“Just looking back at pictures and remembering that first game, I think the tone was set then in that game for the support for the rest of the time this club is together.”
