EXCLUSIVE: Crew star Mo Farsi on Nancy's brilliance and his 'dream' role | OneFootball

Columbus Crew wing-back Mo Farsi has seen some superb years in black and gold.

The Algeria international has been a key member of a Crew team that has won an MLS Cup, Leagues Cup, and finished runners-up in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

While some around the league consider this iteration of the Crew under head coach Wilfried Nancy to be one of the all-time great sides in league history, the privilege of being a 'piece in the puzzle' is not lost on Farsi.

“It is such an honor to be in a great team that has the possibility to play in a lot of finals, and big games," he said in an exclusive interview with OneFootball.

“As a player it is a dream to play at the highest level in North America and compete at the highest level. It is a pleasure to have the pressure too, because pressure is a privilege.

“We won a couple [of finals], we lost a couple. But at the end of the day it is a great experience as a human being and as a player too.”

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Head coach Wilfried Nancy has been key to the Crew's ability to remain competitive across multiple fronts since joining the club in 2023.

The former CF Montréal boss is hailed as one of the great tacticians in North America, and Mo Farsi claims he certainly learned a lot under his tutelage.

“I have been honored to be a part of his team since 2023, when he arrived," he said. "He is a great tactician, we can all see how we play. Of course teams try to adapt to us, but he always seems to have an answer.

“I have learned a lot [under Nancy]. I love to play in a back-three. He gave me some freedom on my side, and helped me reach another level, to be a better player, so I am very happy and look forward to continuing to work with him.”

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It hasn't always been smooth sailing for the Crew in the current era, however. After crashing out of the MLS Cup Playoffs in the first round last season, the club waved goodbye to a handful of key players in the offseason, most notable Cucho Hernandez, Christian Ramirez, and Alexandru Mățan.

But Farsi believes there is still plenty of quality in the side, and more importantly, under Wilfried Nancy the sum is greater than its individual parts at Lower.com Field.

“Obviously we lost some great players, whether it was Cucho (Hernandez), Christian (Ramirez), or (Alexandru) Mățan.”

“But we still have a good team, I’ll be honest. But what made us so strong these last years is that everyone was able to play, and we can show that now.”

“Playing in a system like this is about all of the team, everybody comes and puts their piece in the puzzle. It is still a great group, and I can’t wait to keep playing with these guys, and to keep winning games.”

The Crew have won just two of their five opening games in MLS to start 2025, but they were perhaps preoccupied by Concacaf Champions Cup duties in the opening weeks of the campaign.

Yet after bowing out of North America's premier competition at the hands of fellow MLS side LAFC, they can now turn their attention back to domestic duties as they look to work their way back up the table.

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