This is one in a series of team previews preparing fans for the 2023 MLS season. Check out the full list; teams will be revealed in predicted order of finish from Feb. 10-24.
What FC Dallas did last year
With Nico Estevez on board as a first-year head coach in MLS, FCD transformed from one of the West’s worst teams in 2021 to one of its best. It certainly helped that two MLS vets with U.S. caps, winger Paul Arriola and midfielder Sebastian Lletget, came in to help the project, and homegrown-turned-DP Jesus Ferreira had a huge breakout year. They landed in the No. 3 spot in the West playoffs, outlasted the Loons in PKs, and then did what they’d never done before in the Western Conference semifinals — lose to Austin — to close out the season.
Key additions
Defender Sebastien Ibeagha (free agent), defender Geovane Jesus (transfer from Cruzeiro), defender Amet Korça (transfer from HNK Gorica)
Key departures
Defender Matt Hedges (option declined, moved to Toronto FC), forward Franco Jara (mutual contract termination), defender Nanu (option declined)
Making the case for FC Dallas
The venerable Matt Hedges has left Frisco for Toronto, and the Franco Jara experiment has officially ended. During the offseason, FCD mostly bolstered on defense, notably picking up Brazilian right back Geovane Jesus on a U22 initiative deal. Otherwise, it’s a lot of dance with who brung ya, and with Arriola, Ferreira, and Alan Velasco as your front line, that’s a pretty good dance partner. As we’ll say for Austin FC pretty soon, this could be a better overall team than FCD brought out last year and they very well could land lower just because of the conference’s keener competition, but they’ll still make the playoffs and then are capable of making some noise once there.
Players to watch
Assuming that Jesus Ferreira doesn’t bolt for Europe in the summer — and that possibility’s certainly still there — much of the FCD storyline revolves around whether he gets close or even surpasses last year’s MVP-approaching 18-goal, six-assist season. There are questions in defense as the new arrivals (including Sebastien Ibeagha, fresh off a cup-winning run in L.A.) get acclimated, but what FCD’s No. 9 does is key. (There’s also the matter of whether he really is best as a No. 9, but that’s a debate for another day.)
A nerdy tidbit
Last year, FCD was second in goals allowed, with its 37 goals over 34 matches only surpassed by the Union’s unreal 26. Goalkeeper Maarten Paes might not ever get All-Star accolades with some of the higher-profile netminders in the league, but FCD feels fortunate to have him.
A fun tidbit
As we covered in a preseason update last week (because we couldn’t resist), Toyota Stadium will have an Everything’s Bigger in Texas food stand this year, featuring the Monster Taco that was the breakout star of last year’s playoffs.
On the left, the image that went viral.
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) October 21, 2022
On the right, the monster taco.
Sold at FC Dallas (@FCDallas)
💵 $16 (£14) pic.twitter.com/NsADEr5yPF
In case you’re wondering, the folks at Footy Scran deemed it scran.
Projected finish
5th in the West
Though it wouldn’t be surprising if the Toros got themselves into a home playoff slot — assuming that playoffs remain the world we know and not the bizarre round-robin format rumored — the only real surprise this season for them would be missing the playoffs altogether. There’s talent galore on this team, and Estevez has shown a steady hand on the wheel following a 2021 looking more and more like an aberration.
