MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar is ready to go again

The 2023 MLS season begins tomorrow afternoon, with Nashville SC hosting New York City FC at Geodis Park. Nashville, which has qualified for the play-offs every year since joining the league in 2020, will be looking to go one better and make a deep run this year — and they'll be looking to Hany Mukhtar to guide them there. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder's goals and assists in the three years since he arrived from Danish side Brøndby have been vital to NSC, and have even led to whispers of a call-up to the German national squad. His 23 goals seven assists last year earned him the Golden Boot as the league's top scorer, and it was no surprise to see him named the recipient of last year's Landon Donovan MVP Award as well.

Mukhtar was Nashville SC's first ever Designated Player when he joined the club four years ago, so he's seen the club grow from debutants into an important part of Tennessee's sporting landscape. The connection with fans and the city has been essential in that development, and this year Nashville will be able to wear a part of the city's heritage with a new away jersey. Their new all-black kit is a collaboration with the Johnny Cash estate, and it features a number of nods to the legendary artist, including a signature on the back, and jock tag featuring a black and white image of Cash at Folsom Prison.

Yesterday, on The FADEAWAY live on Amp, Mukhtar told Alex Robert Ross about the link-up, his hopes for the new season, and what brought him to MLS in the first place.

The FADER: Can you just tell me what the club feels like the day before a season starts? What's the atmosphere like today?

Hany Mukhtar: The whole club is hyped up; we're looking forward to the game. We had a very hard preseason. We had a long off-season and now, all of us, we are very hyped and we can't wait to get back on the pitch and perform for Music City.

You had a really strong season last season as a team, and it looks strong again this year, but the thing with MLS is it's so narrow, so competitive. An eight-seed can beat a one-seed in this league. What sort of targets do you set for yourself and do you set as a team? Do you secretly set different targets to what your coach sets?

We had very good meetings this preseason to set the same goals. I think that's very important. The whole organization, we want to win something and I think we had tremendous first three years. We made it every year to a playoff game, but now we are trying to reach for more and I think our first goal has to be having a good start into the season and then getting a home game for a playoff and trying to go as far as possible.

Obviously you personally had an incredible season. You won the Landon Donovan MVP award last year, you won the Golden Boot as well. Did you have time to digest that during the off-season?

Yeah, definitely. It took me a while to realize what a good season it was. I really enjoyed it but now it's a new season. I have to do the same thing again. That's the beauty of sport or soccer: you have to perform week in and week out. No one cares what you did last week or even last year. It's good and bad. When you had such a good season, you want to enjoy it a little bit more, but if you have a bad game then it's good because you know next week you have a chance to make it better and I'm looking forward. I can't wait to get out there on the field and just do what I love.

I want to talk a little bit about this Johnny Cash collaboration that Nashville has, these new blackout jerseys. You were a big part of launching that. Did you know a bit about Johnny Cash before coming to Nashville?

Yeah, my mom is a huge Johnny Cash fan, and that was one of the first things I did with her [in the city], going to his museum. My mom showed me tons of songs and that's how I become a fan too. Now wearing home game or away game his jersey every home game, that's cool. I think the whole fit, it looks so cool, looks dope. It has really a nice flair. I'm looking forward to wearing it. I think it's definitely the best jersey I've ever worn.

You got the chance to meet his son, John Carter Cash, as well. John seemed to be, from the interviews I read, really moved by the whole experience. What was that like meeting him?

I mean, that was an honor. Just to meet Johnny Cash's son in his home where Johnny Cash recorded his music. I think that's a very special moment. To be honest, I didn't even know when I was driving to his studio or to his house where we are going. I had no idea that it was Johnny Cash's house and that I was meeting Johnny Cash's son. That was such a cool moment.

You've been at Nashville from the very start of their existence. That's very rare in football, especially with you coming from a European football tradition where clubs have 140-year histories. You've had to establish a culture in Nashville. How difficult is it to try and build that kind of connection with the city and with the fans, to build that from the ground up as a player?

I felt from the beginning that it was an honor. When I started talking with the club, they were telling me, "Hey, we want to build a team around you" and, as you said, I'm from Europe. You never hear these kinds of things. The team is already built and when you go to a new team, you are the last piece they are missing or something. But now the whole club wants to build the team around you. That was such a special and important message they gave me. I felt very special from the beginning to be the first DP.

Of course, it comes with responsibility and I love to have the responsibility to perform and to help the club. I think we're on a very good path. I think the story now with the jersey, with Johnny Cash and the city, it's Music City, you know? Everywhere you go, it's always a good vibe. I think it's a good fit for me and my family here in Nashville. I love to be here. It's a very cool moment.

How much do you think about that when you're making decisions for your career? You've played for your hometown club at Hertha Berlin, you've played for giants in Benfica. But Nashville is a really great city, the weather is nice, there's a good vibe, and you get the chance to build something from the ground up. A lot of players just want to go to a bigger club. How much has the city itself, and the life around it, factored in for you as a player?

Like you said, I played in big clubs. I saw great cities. But I felt very welcomed here in Nashville, and I think the people are very nice. The weather is great. We are in February and we have I think today probably temperatures in the 70s. I learned during my career that you have to appreciate what you've got. I can build my own legacy in this club, because it's so short, the history of the club.

I think being a big part of a club's history — that's something great. You're from England, and to be a legend at Fulham, it's difficult. The club is very old, has a lot of history and great players already. Now here in Nashville, I have a bigger chance to become a legend or to make my own legacy here than at the club which is already 150 years old.

Do you still keep an eye on the German national team?

I mean, when you're a young kid, you have two dreams. My first dream, because I was going through the Hertha Berlin Academy, was to play for the first team. I played my first professional game was 18 years old in Olympiastadion with 74,000 in the stands. It was an amazing feeling.

The second dream is always to play for the national team. I will work hard, I will do everything I can, perform, give my best and when I get the chance. I will try... I will take the chance. There is no try there. I will take the chance.