FC Cincinnati have signed center back Miles Robinson to a contract through the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025, the club announced today. Robinson, 26, brings seven years of Major League Soccer experience and 27 caps with the United States Men’s National Team to FC Cincinnati.
“We are thrilled that Miles chose to continue his career in Cincinnati,” said Chris Albright, FC Cincinnati General Manager. “He is an elite defender with a dynamic skillset who already has an incredible amount of MLS and international experience. His personality and character are an immediate addition to our locker room and we’d like to welcome him to FC Cincinnati.”
Robinson comes to Cincinnati after spending the entirety of his seven-year MLS career with Atlanta United. He was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, the first SuperDraft pick in club history. With Atlanta, he made 123 MLS regular season appearances – including 111 starts – netting three goals and two assists.
The 6-foot-2 defender made his MLS debut with the Five Stripes on April 7, 2018, and, in his first season with Atlanta, he made 12 appearances and three starts, which included two appearances and a start in the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. Atlanta would go on to win MLS Cup 2018.
“I’m very excited to be signing for FC Cincinnati,” said Robinson. “This is an amazing organization from top to bottom, and I will do everything in my power to win more trophies for the passionate fans and outstanding people of this city. I’m ecstatic to play my first home game at TQL Stadium.”
Robinson had a breakout season the following year. In 2019, Robinson played in all 34 MLS games for Atlanta, starting 33 of them, earning MLS Best XI accolades and his first call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team. He also started and played every minute in all five wins for Atlanta en route to the club’s 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title.
In 2021, Robinson started in 25 matches and was named to his first MLS All-Star Team and earned his second-career MLS Best XI honor. He was also a finalist for the 2021 MLS Defender of the Year, and he ranked second in MLS in duel success rate (minimum 100 duels) at 66.83 percent.
In 2023, Robinson started in 26 of his 27 MLS appearances, scoring a career-high two goals and adding one assist. He also started and played in all three of Atlanta’s 2023 MLS Cup Playoff matches.
At the international level, Robinson has earned 27 caps for the USMNT, scoring three goals and adding one assist since his senior debut on September 7, 2019, against Mexico. The Arlington, Massachusetts native started and played every minute for the Stars and Stripes in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, when the U.S. won the tournament, culminated by a 1-0 win over Mexico in the final where Robinson scored the game-winning goal in the 117th minute at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He was named to the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI.
Following the Gold Cup, Robinson started in 11 of the 14 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers spanning the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, helping guide the Americans to qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He was nominated for the 2021 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year.
In his youth career, Robinson represented the United States at the U-20 and U-23 levels. A member of the 2017 Generation adidas class, Robinson was a two-year starter at Syracuse University where he was named the 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. While at Syracuse, Robinson scored eight goals in two years and picked up honors for ACC All-Freshman Team, ACC All-Tournament Team and All-ACC First Team.
TRANSACTION: On Jan. 3, 2024, FC Cincinnati sign defender Miles Robinson to a contract through the 2024 season, with a club option for 2025.