Joseph Lowery
Where we left off last year
2024 season: 51 points, 5th in the Eastern Conference, 11th in MLS
For the first time in club history, Charlotte FC didn’t finish ninth in the East. Instead, they climbed all the way up to fifth in a vastly improved fashion compared to their first two MLS campaigns.
Dean Smith completely shifted the club’s tactical identity away from detailed buildup, positional rotations, and aggressive pressing and towards more direct passing and solid mid-block defending. The lack of elite Designated Players lowered Charlotte FC’s ceiling to the point where they couldn’t compete with the best in MLS. Still, with Kristijan Kahlina thriving in goal, a solid spine ahead of him, and progress from some of the young attackers, 2024 was filled with promise for Charlotte.
What changed in the offseason
Notable arrivals:
- Wilfried Zaha, W: Charlotte FC made it clear last summer when they sniffed around multiple high-priced DPs that they were looking to make a splash at the top of their roster. Enter: Zaha, who arrives in Charlotte on a season-long loan through January, 2026 with an option for an additional six months. The 32-year-old isn’t near the height of his powers, having spent last season as a rotation piece for Galatasaray in Turkey before a failed loan stint at Lyon earlier this season. But with his game founded on strength and technical ability, Zaha should have plenty of success for Charlotte up against overmatched fullbacks. If Christian Benteke, Zaha’s former Palace teammate, is anything to go by, this DP signing will work out quite well in North Carolina.
