Mikey López Reunites With Bobby Murphy, Signs With Portland Hearts of Pine
Mikey López signs with Hearts of Pine
Mikey López is a 31 year old 5’ 9” defensive midfielder that has recently spent five years with Birmingham Legion in the USL Championship. Now Portland will be his home as he has signed with the Hearts of Pine.
“I’m excited to be back in the northeast and experience a new city,” López said. “I’ve heard nothing but great things about Portland, so we are looking forward to getting there and being immersed in the community.”
In a Blazing Musket interview back in November, head coach and sporting director Bobby Murphy referenced López coming to him at St Stephen’s Episcopal School in Austin, Texas back when he was 13 years of age. It was there that Murphy helped López with school, soccer, and life in general the best he could. López would blend that knowledge and advice with his work ethic and go on to win a National Championship in 2011 at the University of North Carolina in his Freshman year of College.
Sporting KC drafted López 14th overall in the first round of the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. He won an MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup in his three years with Sporting KC.
López would spend two years in New York with NYCFC and then spend one year with San Antonio FC before signing in December of 2018 with Birmingham Legion.
The midfielder served as the Legion’s first captain for the 2019 season. López captained the Legion to a 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings and would finish the playoff run with a quarterfinals appearance. López capped off 2019 with Defender of the Year honors.
López would be a staple for the Legion until January of 2024 when he would have to have surgery to repair a ruptured achilles tendon. He would have a second surgery in March.
Although López was cleared to play by doctors just before the last home match of the year, he would miss all 36 games of the 2024 season with Birmingham.
What does every young team need? A veteran presence that has done the hard yards, has some trophies in his cabinet, is familiar with the coach, and will lead the side in the right direction. López checks all the boxes.