FC Cincinnati had what can only be described as an ‘emotional’ victory last weekend, defeating the Philadelphia Union 1-0 at TQL Stadium to clinch a spot in the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs. Given how everything has gone this season, that wasn’t a formality like in years past, and given how they got the result, the taste of victory was made only sweeter.
But no one had a more emotional night than Teenage Hadebe, who competed until he had nothing else to give and helped FC Cincinnati secure just its fourth clean sheet of the season. Doing so, mind you, in his seventh consecutive start on short rest, turning in five full 90 appearances over that time.
Hadebe had to exit Saturday afternoon’s match versus Philly after sustaining a knock, first trying to play on but eventually needing to make his way off the pitch in the 73’. When he did come off the field, though, the TQL Stadium crowd sang and chanted his name, showering the center back with love as he exited the field. An honor that Hadebe says he was unexpecting, and he was overwhelmed with emotion.
“First of all, congrats to the team. We fought as a team and won,” Hadebe said Saturday after the match. “For me, to be honest, to hear the fans chanting my name was emotional. I didn't expect that from the fans, but the love they showed me today is unbelievable. I won't take it for granted. It means a lot to me. So for now, I'll just keep on doing my best and keep giving as much as I can. That's how I'll repay them for what they did for me. It was a special moment for me, to be honest. It means a lot.”
Hadebe’s run as a defensive standout has now lasted a few weeks, and his contributions over the last two weeks have helped FCC find their footing as they near the postseason. The Zimbabwe international has won 20 aerial duels over the four-match unbeaten run FCC are currently on, with six clearances and committing just two fouls in that stretch. His crowning moment of the last two weeks, though, was a game-winning goal against D.C. United, his first for the club.
Hadebe sid after the match against D.C. United that when he scored, he was so excited for the moment and to celebrate with his teammates and fans, that he didn't know what to do. So, he said, with a laugh, that he did five different celebrations, laughing at himself after the fact for it.
"I haven't scored for for a long time there, so that's why everybody was making fun of me there," Hadebe said with a big laugh. "I didn't even know how to celebrate! I'm sure I had almost five different celebrations. But I wish I could do maybe 10 different celebrations! I'm not used to scoring as a defender, but I'm grateful I scored the important goal for the team, and we got all three points."
As a player who hasn't always been called on to be a difference-maker this season, Hadebe has risen to the occasion when it matters most and earned praise not only from his coaches, but also from the fans. On the pitch, Hadebe says the fans are impacting the team's performance as well, and on Saturday in that 1-0 nailbiter of a win over Philly, the center back said the fans helped turn the tide for The Orange and Blue and pushed them over the top to victory.
“They are the ones that help me to keep pushing, keep going, so that I'll never give up. So I recognize that, no matter how tired I am, they help me.” Hadebe said of the FC Cincinnati fans. “So the fans, the atmosphere, it was crazy, unbelievable in the stadium. They turned it up to 10, and I think the fans played a big role in this game. They pushed us up to the final, and we all played well as a team because of them.”
