MLS Preview: Philadelphia Union

In partnership with

Hooligan Soccer

·19 February 2025

MLS Preview: Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia is known for being a sports mad city, though soccer hasn’t always been at the top of that list. But back in 1973, the Philadelphia Atoms won the inaugural NASL championship. Bob Rigby, the club’s keeper and a local lad, made the cover of Sports Illustrated, the first soccer player given that honor. The NASL eventually closed shop in 1984, and with it went professional soccer in the Delaware Valley.

Club History

When the MLS started back 1996, Philadelphia was the largest market that didn’t get an initial franchise. They weren’t even on the short list. As the MLS proved more than a flash in the pan, a local consortium Keystone Sports & Entertainment began scouting for potential stadium sites and putting together an expansion bid. Concurrently, a group called The Sons of Ben was formed in 2001, providing the league with proof that the sport had local fan support.

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By 2008, the Union was publicly unveiled, and they started in the 2010 season as the league’s 16th franchise. “Union” refers to the first thirteen U.S. colonies, as does the crest’s thirteen stars.

In their first eight years they only qualified for the postseason twice, but they did manage to reach the US Open Cup finals in 2014, 2015 and 2018 – losing all three. Since 2018, however, they were perennial postseason stalwarts until last season. They won the Supporters Shield in 2020 and reached the MLS Cup final in 2022, losing to LAFC in penalties after conceding a 128th minute goal to Christian Bale in extra time. Rough.

Ownership

The club is still owned by Keystone Sports & Entertainment, but Jay Sugarman is the majority shareholder and current chairman. NBA star Kevin Durant is a minority owner.

Significant Players

Ray Gaddis (United States) – Defender Holds the team record for appearances (246) between 2012-2020.
Sébastien Le Toux (France) – Forward Holds the team record for goals scored (57). Played two different stints, 2010-2011 and 2013-2016.
Andre Blake (Jamaica) – Goalkeeper Has been with the team since 2014. Holds the record for shutouts (72) and is closing in on Gaddis’ appearance record.
Brenden & Paxton Aaronson (United States) – Midfielders Brothers who developed through the Union academy. Together they were sold for over $10M in transfer fees to Red Bull Saltzburg and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Other Facts

Sébastien Le Toux scored their first goal in a 3-2 win over D.C. United in their home opener on Apr. 10, 2010.
Their mascot, Phang, is an anthropomorphic snake.
The rattlesnake in the crest references a famous cartoon “Join, or Die” by Benjamin Franklin.
Their shirt sponsor, Bimbo Bakeries, is a Mexican conglomerate whose US headquarters are in the nearby suburb of Horsham.
Dogfish Head Brewery, in nearby Delaware, is the official beer of the club.
The have one the best youth academies in the MLS. Thirteen players on their 2025 roster are homegrown, one of the highest in the league.

2024 Season Recap

9W – 15D – 10L for 37 points. Finished 12th in the Eastern Conference. 23rd overall.

Who to Watch 2025

After a relatively quiet offseason in which they let seven players go, including starters Jack Elliott and Leon Flach, the club just dropped a Damiani bomb…

Bruno Damiani (Uruguay) – Forward [DP] We’re just hours after his transfer was confirmed for a “record-breaking” fee (exact $ not disclosed) from Uruguayan league champions Nacional. All eyes will be on the 22-year old now.
Mikael Uhre (Denmark) – Forward [DP] Damiani’s signing takes the spotlight off Uhre He has 59 contributions (38 goals/21 assists) in 129 games.
Dániel Gazdag (Hungary) – Midfielder [DP] The current all-time goal scorer (70) in 155 games.