Brandon Vazquez on staying with FC Cincinnati: 'I wasn't ready to let go'

Brandon Vazquez isn’t ready to give up on FC Cincinnati quite yet. 

After a stellar 2022 Major League Soccer campaign, the striker became a sought-after figure during the winter transfer window. His 18 goals in 33 appearances for FC Cincinnati attracted the attention of several international clubs, but one stood as the frontrunner: Chivas de Guadalajara. 

The Liga MX team held intense talks with the Eastern Conference team before submitting two competitive bids, but Vazquez stayed put.

“You know, growing up with a Chivas jersey in my closet, it was exciting to hear their interest. I was flattered to have an offer like that from Chivas,” explained Vazquez in an interview with 90min. 

“But sitting down with Cincinnati, and having the conversation of where I am with the team, and what we’re trying to do in the league, we’re trying to win a championship and I think it’s very possible this year with the team that we have. I love the fans that we have, I love the city, the training ground, the coaches, my teammates, everything is so special and I wasn’t ready to let go of that just yet.”

Vazquez first joined FC Cincinnati in 2020, after three seasons with Atlanta United. It took him time to adjust to a new team, managing just six goals and five assists in 50 appearances across two seasons. 

But upon Pat Noonan’s appointment as head coach of FC Cincinnati in December 2021, Vazquez began to gain confidence. He worked tirelessly with Noonan and the coaching staff, leading to his breakout 2022 campaign. Beyond goals, the striker also supplied eight assists to propel Cincinnati to fifth on the Eastern Conference table and the Conference semifinals. 

Now, he wants more. 

“I love representing FC Cincinnati, and helping make history with the team. That’s the objective always, I am working for it.I want to build more chemistry with the players around me. Brenner, Lucho Acosta and I up top, we have good chemistry already but I think it could be even better and if it is then sky's the limit,” he added. 

“Last year we set expectations for ourselves and for the years to come, so we want to do the same things and continue to be a feared team. Individually, I’d like to beat my record from last year. I always want to best myself, that's the objective. As a group, we need to get further in the playoffs. We were just a couple steps away from winning it all, so getting to where we were last year and then pushing for more.”

Vazquez and FC Cincinnati kick off the 2023 MLS campaign on February 25 when hosting the Houston Dynamo at TQL Stadium.