As Inter Miami CF and Vancouver Whitecaps prepare for Saturday’s MLS title showdown with their star-studded rosters, FC Dallas leadership insists the club has already laid the foundation to one day compete on the same stage.
FCD’s strong finish last season, losing only two of its final 10 games to clinch a playoff berth, is viewed as a pivotal step in the pursuit of its first MLS Cup in 30 years of existence
“This is one of those building blocks if you want to be a champion,” said FC Dallas President Dan Hunt. “ I think this was a really important moment for this club and for the future with what we’re building here, to take that next step with trophies, this next year and beyond.”
While Inter Miami, powered by global icons Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Jordi Alba, stands just one victory away from its first MLS Cup in only six years, Hunt believes Dallas’s path lies in developing young talent and complementing it with quality signings such as Petar Musa.
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“Most champions throughout history had good players, though not to the extent of what we’re seeing in Miami, but in most cases, they were teams with strong pieces working seamlessly as a unit. That’s what we’re trying to build here,” Hunt said
Under first-year MLS head coach Eric Quill, FC Dallas overcame a sluggish start and, with little margin for error, corrected course to reach the postseason.
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At midseason, the playoffs seemed unlikely. Sitting at 5-10-6 with just 21 points in June, Quill guided the team to a seventh-place finish in the Western Conference with an 11-12-11 record and 44 points.
Though eliminated in the opening round by Vancouver in a best-of-three series, the team’s resurgence was seen as inspirational.
“It was a tale of two seasons, and for me, one of the most rewarding campaigns of my entire time here,” Hunt said. Asked to summarize the year in two words, he didn’t hesitate: “Total comeback.”
Quill said the team’s turnaround taught him the most important lesson of his rookie season.
“The solutions are always there if you’re willing to search for them,” he said.
The coach was referring to the tactical adjustments he made to adapt his strategy to the roster’s profile. In the midst of a crisis, Quill shifted to a three-defender, five-midfielder, two-forward formation to better suit his players’ characteristics.
“Eric changing our formation allowed us to succeed. I give him so much credit because so few coaches are willing to adapt their tactics. Credit to him and his staff for having the courage to do it,” Hunt added.
Looking ahead, FCD’s Chief Soccer Officer/Sporting Director, André Zanotta, emphasized that bolstering the midfield and attack will be priorities for 2026.
“We want to give Eric a bigger headache by giving him more options so he can look at the roster and say, ‘I have all these choices to keep the team at a high level,’” Zanotta said.
Quill, meanwhile, is eager to apply the lessons learned when the 2026 MLS season kicks off on February 21.
“My biggest takeaway is that when you believe and you lead in a way such that there’s no finger pointing, there are no victims,” Quill said. “It’s just, let’s roll up our sleeves and find a way.’
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