The 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup has been a competition full of twists, turns and shock results, as well as some brilliant soccer. None more so than from the Columbus Crew.
Wilfried Nancy’s side have done the unthinkable through the semifinals of the tournament, becoming the first MLS team to ever win a knockout match in Mexico - and even more impressively, the Crew did so against powerhouse Liga MX side Tigres.
On Wednesday, the reigning MLS Cup champions have a chance to write their name into history as they aim to do the impossible for the second-straight round and win south of the border. The Crew hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg over Monterrey, and if they can manage a result… well, let’s just say impressive wouldn’t even cut it.
They wouldn't be the first MLS team to reach the final of the competition, of course, and nor would they be the first to go on and win it. Seattle Sounders' triumph in 2022 opened the floodgates for a change in perspective as to how MLS is perceived and has evolved as a league.
That said, you cannot compare that Sounders side to this Columbus club. From Cucho Hernandez to Darlington Nagbe to Patrick Schulte, this Crew side is the most well-rounded team MLS and its fans have ever seen. A result in Mexico, however, would thrust them into American soccer folklore and put this team in consideration as being the best MLS side ever.
