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The Hany Mukhtar File: Nashville's First Designated Player Looks to Lock Down the Midfield in 2020

December 18, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Nashville SC News Release


NASHVILLE - Nashville is known for its star power, and Nashville Soccer Club may have found the city's next star in Hany Mukhtar.

The German international became Nashville SC's first Designated Player in August, and he brings a winning pedigree from his stops in Europe. At 24 years old, Mukhtar has the chance to make a name for himself as a dynamic attacking midfielder in Major League Soccer.

Here's everything you need to know about Hany Mukhtar.

The Basics

Name: Hany Mukhtar

Position: Midfielder

How Acquired: Signed from Brøndby IF (Danish Superliga) as the club's first Designated Player on Aug. 27, 2019.

Height: 5'8''

Weight: 159

Hometown: Berlin, Germany

Past Clubs: Brøndby IF (Danish Superliga, Denmark), Red Bull Salzburg (Austrian Bundesliga, Austria), S.L. Benfica (Primeira Liga, Portugal), Hertha Berlin (German Bundesliga, Germany)

Youth Academy: Hertha Berlin

Three Things to Know

A Proven Winner - Throughout his young career, Mukhtar has accumulated an impressive haul of trophies. In total, Mukhtar has won seven trophies for club and country. With his youth club Hertha Berlin, he won the German U-17 Bundesliga and the 2.Bundesliga with the senior team, earning the club promotion to the top flight. With Red Bull Salzburg, he won the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup in 2015-16. At Brøndby, he helped guide the club to a Danish Cup title in 2018.

International Pedigree - In addition to his successful club career, Mukhtar has found success at the international level too. In 2014, Mukhtar captured the UEFA European U-19 title with Germany, and became a rising star along the way. He scored a goal in Germany's semifinal win, and scored the lone goal in the final 1-0 victory over Portugal. In addition to his championship in the European U-19 tournament, he also played for Germany in the 2015 U-20 FIFA World Cup, helping lead Germany to the quarterfinals with four goals in the tournament. Some of his teammates in that tournament included Julian Brandt and Julian Weigl, both of whom now play for giants Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga.

Fashion Forward -- Mukhtar looks the part of a big-time professional athlete with his fashion sense. His style was on display during his first visit to Nashville back in August. While he makes sure he looks his best every day, he says his fashion doesn't take up too much of his time.

"I would say I like to dress good, but I don't take that much attention," he said. "I just need 10 minutes. Of course, everybody wants to look good, I think it's important. You try to make your style and your own brand."

What They're Saying

Nashville SC Owner John Ingram

"As our first Designated Player, Hany is a big piece of our vision. In general, [CEO] Ian [Ayre] and myself and the whole team on the technical and the executive side of Nashville SC have been very intentional in trying to build a roster that will hit the ground and be competitive. We're not coming to just participate, we're coming to compete."

GM Mike Jacobs

"He's a universal footballer. He plays on both sides of the ball. I think fans will love that. Hany is really special and a creative player who fights his heart out."

Hany Mukhtar

"I have ambition, ambition for me and also for the club. We will have a new team and everything will be new. But I think for all of us, we have to have high ambitions. The best thing in football is to win trophies and to win games, therefore we have to work hard and I will give my best. That should be the ambition for everybody who's following Nashville."

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