Every Saturday in Mission Valley, it’s impossible to miss the colorful bombs of pyro and chants of “Dalé, Dalé, Dalé” echoing from Snapdragon Stadium. When Mohamed Mansour, an Egyptian investor, made a bid in October 2022, the landscape of San Diegan sports would change forever. Historically, the Padres, Chargers, and Clippers have all failed to win a championship for America’s Finest City, but the first-year MLS team in San Diego is showing signs of promise.
The team started the season strong, going four straight games without a loss and quickly began building both an identity and a culture through synchronized chants and lasting traditions such as the SD Thunderclap. The club placed emphasis on the idea of “18 threads,” a concept that unites the 18 cities within San Diego, which was clearly visible on matchdays. Supporters would come from as far south as Tijuana to root on the team, and their passion helped turn each game into a citywide celebration.
On the field, the team was performing significantly above expectations. Central to this success were the players themselves — a mix of seasoned veterans and rising local talent who embodied the team’s growing identity. The most popular player was Mexican star Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. Having played for European giants like Napoli and PSV, Lozano brought a level of experience and global attention that captured the heart of every San Diego fan. Next to him was Anders Dreyer, a Danish winger who recorded 19 goals and 19 assists, second-most goal contributions in the league, only behind Lionel Messi. Rather than simply filling a position on the team, each player had a story, showed growth, and made the club that much easier to fall in love with.
At the end of the regular season, San Diego finished first in the West and recorded the best debut season of any team in MLS history, racking up 19 wins. In the team’s first-ever playoff campaign, they faced the Portland Timbers in a memorable three-game series. In the first game of the series, San Diego cruised past Portland in a 2-1 win thanks to a header from Dreyer. The second game wasn’t as easy. The game went to a penalty shootout, where San Diego missed three shots in a row over the top of the net to lose the game, forcing a tiebreaker. In the final game of the series, San Diego—thanks to two goals from Dreyer and an assist from Chucky—was able to secure a 4-0 win to advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, San Diego secured a 1-0 nail-biter victory over Minnesota United, advancing them to the semifinals in their first-ever year of play, where they unfortunately ended their season in a 3-1 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps FC. While it’s not how San Diegans may have envisioned their season ending, it’s good knowing that our city now has a sports team shattering records in their first year.
