Crew fans see another side of players, staff at championship rally

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The city of Columbus gathered Tuesday to celebrate the Crew's MLS championship in a first-of-its-kind event for central Ohio.

After the fans marched down Nationwide Boulevard while players celebrated on top of semis, an estimated 20,000 Crew fans danced, chanted and listened to celebratory and emotional speeches on a plaza outside Lower.com Field, where the Crew won MLS Cup 2-1 on Saturday over Los Angeles FC.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther congratulated the team to kick off the rally. Then, Black & Gold players and coach Wilfried Nancy took to the stand and expressed how great of a year 2023 was for them on and off the field.

"Two words all year that we have been talking about: compete and joy," Nancy said. The Crew's French coach came to Columbus only a year ago and brought a title using an aggressive style of play, one many dubbed the most entertaining soccer in MLS. "I do this job also to create emotions, and when I see you guys here to celebrate the work of the organization, my staff, my players, it's unbelievable."

If Nancy's goal was to create emotion, he certainly succeeded. Fans of all ages enjoyed the sunlight and cheered endlessly from start to finish of the parade and rally. Crew fans also got to see another side of the players they cheer for.

Captain Darlington Nagbe, who is normally very reserved, came out of his shell and started an "O-H, I-O" chant. "I think they heard that down in Cincy," Nagbe said. "I got nothing important up here to say."

"My English is no good, but I just want to say thank you," striker Cucho Hernandez said. "We fight every year for you guys."

Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte revved up the fans after chugging a drink and throwing it into the crowd.

From joy to Ohio pride, players also took the time to express how important this year was to them on a personal level. Fan-favorite defender Josh Williams, an Ohio native who has spent 12 seasons with the Black & Gold, was one of the players who got personal.

"I didn't play a minute, but to me in saying that, this has been one of my favorite years of my entire career," Williams said. He then went on to thank his teammates and called what happened in the locker room a "brotherhood."

Striker Christian Ramirez has had the busiest three weeks of his life. After scoring a winning goal against Orlando City in an Eastern Conference semifinal, Ramirez saw the birth of his son, scored the winner over Cincinnati to make MLS Cup and then celebrated the championship with his family.

"Last year at this time I was in a dark place," Ramirez said. "You guys have welcomed me into your guys' city, and I'm thankful we have this in front of us."

Crew fans are hoping they can celebrate another championship in 2024, but the next celebration of 2023 is right around the corner. Black & Gold fans will be able to do this all over again for the team's home opener when they add the title banner to the Lower.com Field stands.