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There are 62,000 fans in the Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago when the home team, two Swiss, put on a very big show against Inter Miami’s starting group around Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi, who was injured in this game. In the 4-1 win, four Swiss goals were scored in the second half: Nati star Xherdan Shaqiri (32) scored twice, as did Maren Haile-Selassie (24).
Haile Selassie? The second Chicago Swiss next to Shaqiri is not only delivering a highlight against Miami this year. The winger with Ethiopian roots immediately made an impression in the US. Haile-Selassie immediately finished his first MLS season as the club’s top scorer. With his six league goals (plus 3 assists) he even surpasses his famous compatriot. Shaqiri’s record: 5 goals (plus 4 assists). None of the classic strikers in the team scored more than five times.
Development from creator to executor
“Scoring more goals than Shaq certainly shows that it was a good season for me. “I probably exceeded some expectations,” Haile-Selassie told Blick. But he does not want to overestimate his debut year abroad because of the narrow miss in the play-offs: “The team and I have even more potential.” The winger is spending the winter break with his family in his hometown of Zurich and is staying fit with a personal fitness trainer.
The former FCZ junior was known in Switzerland at Zurich, Xamax and Lugano more as a preparer than as a shooter. “I have developed. I now realize that I can also score goals and make better decisions on the field,” says Haile-Selassie. In the past, he almost automatically looked for teammates. Now he approaches the conclusion more consciously.
Haile-Selassie remains in Chicago, as does Georg Heitz
Because he made such an impact as a loan from Lugano, partner club Chicago signaled early on that they wanted to continue working together. Ex-Basel sports director Georg Heitz, who extended his contract in Chicago, also extends his contract with his compatriot. Haile-Selassie will be taken over permanently until 2026. Unlike 2023, wages for 2024 are not yet public – Haile-Selassie is likely to make a salary jump. This season he offered excellent value for money: his basic salary was the equivalent of 230,000 francs. Shaqiri is 6.4 million!
The question remains: shouldn’t a Swiss scoring at Shaqiri’s level in the club also be a problem for Nati coach Murat Yakin? Haile-Selassie was a junior national team player through U20 level. The Zurich resident dreams of the European Championships and says: “I often talk to Shaq about the national team. Yakin was in Chicago in the summer and spoke to me briefly.” Two Swiss from Chicago are suddenly traveling to the European Championships this summer?
|
team
|
SP
|
T.D
|
PT
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
 FC Cincinnati
|
34
|
18
|
69
|
|
|
2
|
 Orlando City SC
|
34
|
16
|
63
|
|
|
3
|
 Columbus crew
|
34
|
21
|
57
|
|
|
4
|
 Philadelphia Union
|
34
|
16
|
55
|
|
|
5
|
 New England Revolution
|
34
|
12
|
55
|
|
|
6
|
 Atlanta United FC
|
34
|
13
|
51
|
|
|
7
|
 Nashville SC
|
34
|
7
|
49
|
|
|
8th
|
 New York Red Bulls
|
34
|
-3
|
43
|
|
|
9
|
 Charlotte F.C
|
34
|
-7
|
43
|
|
|
10
|
 CF Montreal
|
34
|
-16
|
41
|
|
|
11
|
 New York City F.C
|
34
|
-4
|
41
|
|
|
12
|
 DC United
|
34
|
-4
|
40
|
|
|
13
|
 Fire in Chicago
|
34
|
-12
|
40
|
|
|
14
|
 InterMiami CF
|
34
|
-13
|
34
|
|
|
15
|
 Toronto F.C
|
34
|
-33
|
22
|
|
team
|
SP
|
T.D
|
PT
|
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
 Saint Louis City SC
|
34
|
17
|
56
|
|
|
2
|
 Seattle sirens
|
34
|
9
|
53
|
|
|
3
|
 FC Los Angeles
|
34
|
15
|
52
|
|
|
4
|
 Houston Dynamo
|
34
|
13
|
51
|
|
|
5
|
 Real salt lake
|
34
|
-2
|
50
|
|
|
6
|
 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
|
34
|
7
|
48
|
|
|
7
|
 FCDallas
|
34
|
4
|
46
|
|
|
8th
|
 Sporty Kansas City
|
34
|
-3
|
44
|
|
|
9
|
 Earthquakes in San Jose
|
34
|
-4
|
44
|
|
|
10
|
 Portland wood
|
34
|
-12
|
43
|
|
|
11
|
 FC Minnesota United
|
34
|
-5
|
41
|
|
|
12
|
 Austin F.C
|
34
|
-6
|
39
|
|
|
13
|
 Los Angeles system
|
34
|
-16
|
36
|
|
|
14
|
 Colorado rapids
|
34
|
-28
|
27
|
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
