Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
GETTING off to a solid start with his teammates is something Teenage Hadebe has been looking forward to, and he has made it an important goal this pre-season.
The towering defender will be entering his first full season with United States’ FC Cincinnati.
Hadebe joined The Orange and Blue outfit late in the season last year just before the Major League Soccer (MSL)’s season ended.
Signed as a free agent, Hadebe joined FC Cincinnati after a stint in Turkey, but had extensive MLS experience, having been a designated player with Houston Dynamo and helping them win the US Open Cup in 2023.
After he made his debut in the regular season — a 45-minute start against NYCFC that he later described as “a disaster” — he earned the trust of head coach Pat Noonan and his staff and started all three play-off games as well as most of the games down the stretch.
But Hadebe feels like he is just getting started.
“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for,” Hadebe told FC Cincinnati media ahead of the start of MLS action on February 22.
He is a former Kaizer Chiefs, Highlanders, Chicken Inn and Bantu Rovers defender.
“Last time I came on, the season was about to end. I’m going to start with everyone this year,” he said.
The Warriors centre-back has reportedly said he prioritises the team’s success and wants to focus his energy on improving them through his performances.
“That is just who I am. This is my club, so I want to give it everything,” he said.
