There’s only one story to focus on this week, folks, and I’ll let you guess. How does Coach Knowles get all three of his attacking mids on the field at the same time? No, but good guess. How can the Loons rebound from two consecutive losses to rediscover the form that saw them go six games unbeaten? Wow, another good guess — you should think about writing soccer articles for a living. No, today we’re not talking about the Loons. We’re talking about the Crew.

And doesn’t that feel fitting? It’s spring in the Twin Cities, and I can’t leave my house without seeing hard-hatted construction crews tearing apart every other street. So, since they’re already on all of our minds ahead of this weekend’s cross-conference matchup, I figured I oughta give y’all some background on America’s Hardest Working Team, the (original) Black and Gold, Columbus Crew SC. 

Setting the Standard

As an MLS original, the Crew have been around for every single season of Major League Soccer. That means they’ve had three times as long to accumulate silverware as your Loons and that they’ve played in every distinct era of our league’s history. During that time, they’ve packed the trophy cabinet with three MLS Cups, three Supporters’ Shields, one U.S. Open Cup, one Campeones Cup, and a Leagues Cup for good measure. That’s nine trophies in 30 seasons; not too shabby. 

You might assume they pulled a DC United — win a bunch of titles when there are only 10 teams in the league and then never win anything of note again. You would be sorely mistaken, though, as Columbus’ success has come across the length of their tenure in MLS. Their first trophy came in 2002 when they lifted the Open Cup. They followed that up with a Supporters’ Shield in 2004, then a Shield and MLS Cup double in 2008. A ten-year gap separated them from their next trophy — as ownership tried and failed to ship the team to Austin — but appearances in the 2010 USOC and 2015 MLS Cup finals saw them get close without grabbing the whole cigar during a tumultuous time. 

In 2020, the Crew returned to the winner’s circle under the tutelage of Caleb Porter, securing their second MLS Cup and offering a preview to what would become an era of success for the club. In 2022, Wilfried Nancy’s appointment as manager signaled a turning point in the Black and Gold’s on-field identity, quickly producing an enthralling, attacking style of play that took the league by storm. 

From 2022 to 2025, the Crew won their third MLS Cup (‘23), lifted the second-ever Leagues Cup trophy (‘24), and advanced to the Concacaf Champions Cup final (‘24). It’s a history full of accomplishments, MLS legends, and defying the odds. Midwestern sports fans aren’t often given the same experience that fanbases in New York or LA are privy to, but the Crew have done their best to change that narrative, giving Ohio soccer fans something to really cheer for. 

Another Fresh Start

Now, with Nancy out after his move to Celtic FC in Scotland and new manager Henrik Rydström taking the reins ahead of the 2026 season, the Crew are at yet another crossroads in their storied history. Rydström has joined from Swedish outfit Malmö FF to become the ninth head coach in club history, bringing with him what many hope is a style that can keep the success coming. That’s easier to wish for than to do, though. 

Through his first five games in charge, the Crew accumulated three losses, two draws, and just two total points. Learning the preferences of any new manager is always difficult, but for a club with such an impressive record in recent years, the start likely made fans nervous. In the seven games since that poor run of form, the Black and Gold have seemingly turned things around, picking up five wins, a draw, and just a single loss. Now, some of those wins came against teams that have been struggling even more than Columbus (LA Galaxy, Philadelphia Union), but regardless, something seems to be clicking. 

This is not the same Crew team that drew 3-3 with your Loons before falling on penalties in the 2023 Leagues Cup. That said, there are elements that have carried over, most notably the incredibly high standard that this team holds itself to. In a league where coastal teams with flashy signings tend to get most of the headlines, the Crew continue to shine as a beacon of what can be done in smaller markets and should serve as an example for clubs like MNUFC as they continue to grow. Who knows? By the time your Loons have played 30 seasons, maybe they’ll have nine trophies of their own.