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BEHIND THE STRIPES

Chris Goslin

By Atlanta United FC

February 24^th, 2017

"To be able to play for the first MLS team in my city, my hometown, is amazing. I couldn't really grasp it at first."

-Chris Goslin

For Chris Goslin, Atlanta United is a dream come true. Not only does the city that he calls home finally have a Major League Soccer team, but he finds himself on the roster at just 16 years old.

Raised by a family of lifetime supporters of soccer, Chris began kicking a soccer ball almost as soon as he could walk. His admiration for his father and older brother who played the beautiful game inspired Chris to begin his youth career.

"It was great growing up in Georgia, it's a great state and Atlanta is a great city. Most of my memories here are just soccer."

Being a professional player in the sport that he loves is what Chris has always wanted to do. He remembers being at a soccer practice when he heard that Atlanta would receive an MLS franchise and he couldn't believe it. His anticipation for 2017 began, but little did he know the road to MLS would be more exciting than he expected.

"When I was younger I always wished an MLS Club would come to Atlanta"

Chris grew up playing for four different clubs in Georgia, facing teams from various MLS academies throughout his youth career. He always hoped that MLS would find a home in Atlanta, so that young, ambitious players from the ATL like himself, would have the opportunity to be trained by the best and compete at the highest level.

"People always say work hard, but it's really the days that you don't want to go to practice and you're just not feeling it that you have to grind through and then it all pays off some day."

Becoming a Homegrown like Chris is what every player in the Atlanta United Academy aspires to do. It is the ultimate goal to sign a professional contract and play on the first team with the players that they've looked up to their entire youth career.

"We have a really good team that has been put together and I think we can do something great this season."

Atlanta United is making waves in MLS, and they've yet to begin their inaugural season. The technical side has built the team's foundation on young, promising talent, along with the presence of a few experienced veterans. The confidence that the club has in its youth is a quality that players like Chris, who came up through the academy, are excited for.

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