Teenage Hadebe is just excited to get started. The cold and snowy weather that hit Cincinnati was an inconvenient twist to the start of the season, but it hardly broke his stride. The excitement of joining the group and getting the season started off on the right foot warmed any chills that may come his way.
The Zimbabwe native, entering his first full season with FC Cincinnati, has been talking about his desire to start the season and get to know his teammates in a real, authentic way since the 2024 season.
The center back joined The Orange and Blue late in the season, essentially at the final hour before the MLS roster freeze. Signed as a free agent, Hadebe was coming to Cincinnati after a stint in Turkey, but had extensive MLS experience; signing as a Designated Player with Houston Dynamo and helping them win a U.S. Open Cup in 2023 . After he made his debut in the regular season – a 45 minute start against NYCFC that he later described as “a disaster” (a harsh self critique but those are his words) – he earned the trust of Head Coach Pat Noonan and his staff and started all three playoff games as well as most of the games down the stretch.
But Hadebe believes he’s just getting started. That as much progress as was made last season, to make the real strides both as an individual and as a team, the bonding done from the start of preseason is an investment that pays dividends all-year long.
“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for,” Hadebe said in the days prior to preseason beginning in Cincinnati. “Last time I came on, the season was about to end. I'm going to start with everyone this year. I think it's always important as a player not to miss the preseason, because if you miss preseason, sometimes some of the things you end up lost on.”
“You get used to the people, get used to the style of play, the coaches, the structure, the philosophy, things like that. It's difficult to catch up, especially when the guys are already fitting together.”
Hadebe is as easy a locker room fit as a person can imagine.He always carries a smile, has a positive attitude but is laser focused on team success. Since his first press availability, the Zimbabwe National Team defender has said he prioritizes the team's success and wants to focus his energy on improving the team through his performance. He defers his personal victories by crediting the collective when talking to the media and always highlights the strong performances of individuals around him. He calls everyone who wears the FCC badge his brother (the players, the coaches, the fans and even this writer) and even though he’s been with the club only a few short months he says he wants to give everything he has to it.
“That is just who I am. This is my club so I want to give it everything, that’s how I was raised and that’s what feels right to me,” Hadebe explained. “I am ready to sacrifice for this club, to give it everything I have.”
Hadebe showed the proof of concept of his potential with FCC as the 2024 season progressed. As his fitness and chemistry with the team improved his performances followed suit; and after standout showings against Minnesota United FC in September and against NYCFC in Round One Game 1 of the MLS Cup Playoffs, it seemed like his presence on the defensive backline was going to help FC Cincinnati make a push late in the year.
As a left footed center back Hadebe fits a unique role in FCC’s tactical style and formational structure. When out of possession, he has the size, speed and presence to defend his side and cover for attacking wing backs, and when in possession he has the footedness to play the ball on his preferred side and the passing ability to push forward and play the ball out of the back when needed. When combined to create the expected starting trio of Matt Miazga and Miles Robinson, the FCC backline provides versatility in skill, a wealth of experience in MLS and rarely matched quality across the league.
All that’s left now is for the three to gel, along with the rest of their teammates. Miazga, who missed the second half of the year with a season ending injury, has not played with Hadebe yet and while the American MLS Defender of the Year winner is still recovering from his injury, preseason is a pressure free time for everyone to get to know each other.
“I'm happy that I'm going to start with the guys in things like team bonding,” Hadebe added. “We know each other well and I think we're gonna have a good time with the guys. So it's a good time to get to know each other – including the coaching staff, the training staff, the administration, the content, everyone – even better. I like that part of training camps so it’s something I'm looking forward to.”
So while training has gotten off to a chilly start in Clearwater, Florida, with rain, cool winds and some overcast skies slightly dampening things on the fields of the Walter Campbell Sports Park, Hadebe is looking to use his time both on and off the pitch to learn, use his signature smile and baritone laugh and warm up to his teammates and coaches.
