Usseglio: Five Favorite New England Revolution Moments of 2024
Bright Spots in a Dark Season
As we near the end of 2024, I have been thinking about my favorite moments from this past season. While there were plenty of low moments, there were also five highlights that stood out.
1. Concacaf Champions Cup
The Revolution participated in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, making it to the quarterfinals before bowing out of the competition.
I love that the Revs had the opportunity to play in the best international tournament in our region. The Revolution defeated Club Atlético Independiente of Panama in the first round and then went on to beat Alajuelense of Costa Rica in the round of 16. That led to a clash with Mexican giant Club América in the quarterfinals.
While the Revs were thoroughly outplayed, it was amazing to see the club go up against one of the biggest clubs in the Americas and also to see the Revs taking the field at Estadio Azteca, one of the cathedrals of world soccer. It was incredible to see the Revolution playing a competitive game in Mexico City, in a stadium with so much history, where so many phenomenal players have made their mark on the game.
Seeing the Revs playing home-and-away against Club América was a legitimately cool experience, something I will never forget regardless of the outcome.
2. Tomás Chancalay’s Goal Against Inter Miami
I think you could argue one of the Revolution’s biggest games of the 2024 season was their April 27th clash against Inter Miami. Over 65,000 fans watched the game at Gillette Stadium, setting a new home attendance record that broke the record from the 2002 MLS Cup.
Messi and friends ultimately won the game, but not before Tomás Chancalay ignited the crowd by scoring a dazzling goal in the first minute. Before the game started I noticed that a lot of the crowd was wearing Miami, Barcelona, or Argentina jerseys, so I was wary of the kind of home support the Revs would get. I was happy to hear the roar when Chancalay took his early opportunity to put the Revolution up 1-0 against Miami’s super team.
It will take a long time to forget the excitement and build up to that game, and the reaction from the home crowd when the Revs went ahead. A highlight of the season for sure.
3. Peyton Miller Makes His Debut
The Connecticut native and 12th Homegrown Player in Revolution history made his debut for the first team on July 17th as a substitute in an away game against the Philadelphia Union. Miller displayed skill and ability right from the jump, clearly foreshadowing what should be a short stint in New England before a move is made overseas.
Miller clearly has the talent to play in Europe, and I would not be shocked if the 2025 season is his last in MLS. His explosion onto the scene was fun to watch — when he was healthy — and made the departure of fan favorite DeJuan Jones a little bit easier to bear.
4. The Signings of Luca Langoni and Alhassan Yusuf
The results of the 2024 season were less than ideal, to put it nicely. The Revs struggled defensively and offensively all year.
The summer transfer window saw club Sporting Director Curt Onalfo make multiple moves to improve the roster. The most notable moves were the record transfer fee signing of Argentine winger Luca Langoni from Boca Juniors as a U-22 player and the signing of Nigerian midfielder Alhassan Yusuf from Royal Antwerp.
Langoni has shown promise since his debut, adding an attacking flair and direct style of play to the team. Yusuf has been dynamite in the midfield and should be one of the focal points of the team moving into 2025. His experience playing in the Champions League, Nigerian National Team, and competing for trophies in Belgium should raise the quality of the Revolution midfield over the course of a full season.
5. Carles Gil Passing Club Legend Steve Ralston
Carles Gil is one of, if not the best, players in Revolution history. Gil has been a maestro in the midfield since signing with the Revs in 2019, consistently amongst the league leaders in chances created.
His place in club history was cemented this past season when he tied legend Steve Ralston’s record for MLS assists (73) and surpassed Ralston for the record of most assists across all competitions (82). The brilliance of Carles Gil helped carry the Revs to the Supporters Shield in his 2021 MVP season, and the Revs must take advantage of skills while he is still at the top of his game.
What were some of your favorite moments from the 2024 season, despite all of the disappointment?
For sure, Chancalay's goal. But, frankly, the brightest spot for me is the young fan who greets us at every match. He is the sweetest kid you could hope to meet, knows and plays the sport, and with his dad analyzes every goal scored. We always ask him, before the match, what the final outcome will be, who will score the first goal, etc. He's not always right, but usually predicts something. He's 5 years old, and the best fan imaginable.
Another highlight for me in the season was the first game back after Leagues Cup. Our team was healthy again, hopes were high, and we went up to Montreal and won 5-0 on the road. That night was such a blast and that week of thinking we’d turn our season around and maybe make the playoffs was definitely a highlight. Plus Langoni came on in his debut and got a goal and an assist. What a great away game