South Charlotte Today

Charlotte FC's new designated player, Liel Abada, made his debut against FC Cincinnati at the Bank of America Stadium. The 22-year-old winger was warmly welcomed by fans during his first appearance for the club.

Abada expressed gratitude to the Charlotte community during his introductory press conference. "I want to first say thank you to the people of Charlotte for the support I got," he stated. He emphasized his intention to reciprocate their support on the field.

Previously with Celtic, a renowned Scottish club, Abada scored 29 goals and provided 22 assists, contributing to two Scottish Championships, two Scottish League Cups, and one Scottish Cup victory. He aims to bring this winning mentality to Charlotte FC.

"Celtic is a big club with a lot of pressure," Abada noted. "A lot of trophies, big games, atmospheres, and I just want to bring the same mentality to Charlotte."

Despite interest from several teams in Europe due to his promising talent, Abada chose Charlotte because it suits his playing style. "Charlotte is a really good team... We played from the wing in the attacking transition, and that’s really good for my style," he explained.

Abada praised Head Coach Dean Smith's influence on team culture and playing style. "Dean is a Premier League coach... so I think it will be really good for me."

The city itself also appealed to Abada due to its beauty and charm. However, it was the warmth of its people that truly swayed him. “The people are really nice... so I’m very happy to be here,” he said.

Eager to prove himself on the pitch, Abada shared his ambitious goals aligned with those of his coach and teammates. “I have a lot of targets here for this season but when the team succeeds... you can look good," he remarked confidently.

“Hopefully I can win trophies with the Club.”