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USL1 Richmond Kickers

Kickers Add Vinyals for 2021

February 11, 2021 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Richmond Kickers News Release


RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Kickers have signed midfielder Nil Vinyals for the 2021 USL League One season, pending league and federation approval.

"Nil played against us the past two years and we respected his influence each time we battled on the field," commented Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky. "He is a clever passer, keeps possession well, and has the ability to play the final pass that leads to goals in our league. His interest in Richmond and our interest in adding a quality player that opens up defenses, makes this a great signing for our club. We look forward to welcoming Nil to the culture here."

Signing his first professional contract in 2019 with Tormenta FC, Vinyals made 34 appearances including 29 starts during his two years in South Georgia. The Spaniard had a strong showing in 2020, leading Tormenta FC in goals scored (4) and adding an assist. He picked up USL League One Player of the Week honors in Week 3 of the 2020 season, after netting a brace against Orlando City B on August 1. A versatile and effective central midfielder, the Barcelona-native has an impressive 88% pass completion rate in his first two years as a pro.

"The interest that Darren showed in signing me as soon as the 2020 season was done, as well as the way that his teams play, made it an easy decision," noted Vinyals. "There is no doubt that the Kickers are one of the most well-established organizations in the pro ranks, which made Richmond the obvious choice for me.

"Playing against the Kickers was always a hard matchup due to the high intensity and defensive organization of the team -- especially in 2020. They had a lot of talented players with a strong winning mentality, so I'm excited to be a part of that."

A proven winner wherever he plays, Vinyals played the 2017 and 2018 seasons with South Georgia's USL League Two side. He helped lead the team in 2018 to an undefeated season and the club's first Deep South Division Championship behind two goals and one assist as he was finishing up his degree at Winthrop University.

Over three seasons with the Winthrop Eagles, he amassed over 3,200 minutes and notched 11 assists while adding two goals. In his first season at Winthrop in 2015, he had a career-high five assists as the team won the Big South Conference Championship. Prior to making the move to Rock Hill, S.C., Vinyals played one season at Union University in Jacksonville, Fla., scoring two goals and adding two assists in 14 matches for the NCAA Division II school.

"Personally, I hope to keep improving both on and off the field to provide the best version of myself to the club. For the team, the goal is no other than winning the league as we can while establishing an attractive brand of soccer."

The squad is becoming stronger and you need to be there this season with your subscription to Kickers+. Kickers+ is a brand new subscription service for the 2021 season that provides fans tons of value, flexibility and sweet perks! Sign up today for only $59.99 - Kickers+ benefits include 50% off tickets to any regular season home match, 15% off merchandise at shop.richmondkickers.com, exclusive digital content, member events, and more! Click here for more info and to join today!

Stay up to date with all of the Kickers news at RichmondKickers.com and on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

TRANSACTION: Richmond Kickers signed midfielder Nil Vinyals for the 2021 USL League One season on February 11, 2021.

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