FC Cincinnati’s franchise player, Luciano Acosta, has been acquired by FC Dallas for a transfer fee of over $5 million. This comes to no surprise to many FCC fans as Acosta’s departure was long overdue for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, Acosta had been with the club for over four years and after his immensely successful season in 2023, FC Cincinnati’s success soon took a dip. Although FCC made the 2024 MLS playoffs, they failed to make it far in the MLS Cup at all, and ended up losing in the first fixture against New York City FC.
Luciano Acosta was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he first started playing professionally in the Argentine Primera Division. In 2016, Acosta was transferred to MLS team, DC United, where he played with soccer legend, Wayne Rooney. Acosta then moved to FC Cincinnati in 2021. During his time at FCC, Acosta made 150 appearances, with a record-breaking 54 goals and 72 assists. Acosta was the mainstay player of the FCC squad for 3 years, while being a key player of the club's turnaround in the MLS. FC Cincinnati didn’t see much success in their early years in the MLS, as they missed the playoffs 2 years in a row with little success in their league standings as well. Acosta then carried the club to their first playoffs appearance in the 2022 MLS season. In 2023, Acosta had his breakout year, scoring 17 goals and assisting 14 times, which won him the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award in 2023. FC Cincinnati also won the 2023 MLS Supporter’s Shield, which is the club's only trophy in their current tenure in Major League Soccer. After the 2023 MLS season, FCC had high hopes for the upcoming season. In 2024, FCC suffered injury after injury, seriously affecting their defensive capabilities. FC Cincinnati saw a downturn in form near the end of the season, losing 3 of their last 4 games. This gave Acosta yet another reason to part with the club as he wanted to move to a place that fits his future in the MLS.
FC Dallas is currently in a rebuilding phase for their club as they hired a new head coach, Eric Quill, last year. FC Dallas’ president, Dan Hunt said, “This is a landmark signing for FC Dallas and a statement of our commitment to building a championship-caliber team.” FC Dallas failed to make the playoffs in the 2024 MLS season, but they seem to have turned around with their first game of the 2025 season, winning their first fixture against Houston Dynamo FC 2-1. Acosta started and was subbed off in the 80th minute, and although he didn’t have an impact on the scoresheet, many said that his presence was felt throughout the match.
Overall, FC Cincinnati lost a key player to their club’s identity, while FC Dallas gained one. FC Cincinnati’s general manager has come out to state that the club is grateful for Acosta’s time and impact.
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