From Spoon to Shield: What a turnaround for FC Cincinnati
Major League Soccer has many oddities and traditions, but none carry more shame than the dreaded Wooden Spoon.
Coined by fans early on in MLS's development, the Wooden Spoon is an unofficial "prize" given to the worst team in the league across both conferences.
At the end of the 2021 season, FC Cincinnati was the unlucky winner of the Spoon. However, it wasn't the club's first time at the bottom. It was the third straight Spoon-"winning" season, capping off one of the worst runs of any team in MLS history.
Cincinnati rebuilt, focusing on smart management under coach Pat Noonan, and things began to change. On Saturday, the club beat Toronto FC, 3-2, and its transformation from worst to first was complete.
With the win, FC Cincinnati clinched the MLS Supporter's Shield, the prize given to the best team in the league.
"We've been through a lot," Cincinnati forward Brandon Vazquez said after the match. "I've been here since the moments we've been at the very bottom, so this moment means everything to the team, everything to the city. I know we've worked so hard to be here, so we're super-happy."
The Supporter's Shield is one of two major trophies in MLS. It's handed out to the best team in the regular season. With three games left, Cincinnati — with its 19 wins and +17 goal differential — can't be touched.
Winning the Supporter's Shield puts Cincinnati in pole position for MLS's other prize: the MLS Cup, awarded to the victors of the playoff tournament in the fall.
When the FC Cincinnati players returned home following their win, they were greeted at the airport by rapturous fans — and immediately joined in on the celebrations.
Cincinnati will close the regular season with games against the New York Red Bulls, Atlanta United and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami. From there, it will enter the MLS playoffs as a top seed.
"The job's not done," Vazquez said. "We turn the page quickly. We'll enjoy this small moment."
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