ENot only Hertha BSC could use a tricky, quick and reliable man in the Bundesliga – but it will probably be a while before Hany Mukhtar leaves Nashville SC and joins his youth club. If it ever comes up again – because as number one in the top scorer list, top scorer and favorite for the vote for the most valuable player in Major League Soccer, the 27-year-old Berliner is doing really well in the USA at the moment.
“I’ve learned in my career that sometimes it’s more important to be happy and appreciate the moment and what you have than to look for a new challenge right away and then maybe not be happy. That’s why I made the decision to extend and stay here,” Mukhtar told the German Press Agency.
He is happy with his three-year contract plus an option for a fourth season and the role as an absolute fixture in Nashville. “I can also develop here. The league is getting better.”
“Hany was outstanding”
His goal to make it 1-0 in the 1-1 draw with Austin FC last weekend was the number 23 goal of the season. Mukhtar has a total of 34 points and is thus the best in a league in which the former Leverkusen and Real Madrid pros also play Chicharito, former Bayern pros Xherdan Shaqiri and Douglas Costa and Welsh star Gareth Bale are on the road. “Hany was outstanding,” said coach Gary Smith. “Anything that was good and came through the middle, he was involved. He shows what he’s got.”
“When you’re top scorer and favorite for MVP with two games to go, you want both. I’m so ambitious that I won’t tell you anything else. I’ll give it my all in these two games for that,” said Mukhtar, referring to the games against Houston and Los Angeles FC in early October. The fact that the international break is now slowing down his good run is not ideal, “but I will use the time and recover”.
“The league is definitely getting better”
Mukhtar knows that the European leagues in Germany, England, Spain and Italy still have a lot more quality than Major League Soccer. Many in his environment advised him to change after the first two good years. But the number 10 decided to stay.
“I’m aware that the league isn’t where I see the potential of the league yet. But I think a lot will happen here in the country because of the 2026 World Cup – and quite a lot is already happening. The league is definitely getting better.”
In the table of the main round, Nashville can only finish third in the Western Conference, LAFC and Austin have too much lead – but the playoff system still gives the team from the state of Tennessee every chance of winning the championship. “Americans want to be entertained. Football, baseball, basketball – it’s all about entertainment. I think that’s cool, people want to see a good game and excitement, and the play-off style is just outstanding for that,” said Mukhtar.
Will he, who after his training in Hertha’s youth became champions in Austria with Salzburg, champions in Portugal with Benfica and winner of the cup in Denmark with Bröndby, take the step back to Germany at some point and attack in the Bundesliga? “Does it tickle me to prove it to everyone in the Bundesliga? Yes. Does it definitely have to be before the end of your career? No,” said Mukhtar. Because life in Nashville is very good.
