New York Red Bulls Designated Player Dante Vanzeir made his MLS debut in the team's 2023 home opener.
Vanzeir, who joined from Belgium during the offseason, made his first matchday roster after a long layoff between team trainings from his old club to RBNY.
"I think it was a difficult game, but it was good to get my first minutes," Vanzeir said.
The Belgian forward made 92 appearances with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, while scoring 48 goals and tallying 21 assists. In his first season with the club, Vanzeir scored 18 goals and won the Golden Boot in the Challenger Pro League, the second division in Belgium. Before joining New York, he made 28 appearances across all competitions and has added 12 goals and two assists in the top flight of Belgian soccer.
"I need some time to to pick up the play and get even better," Vanzeir said. "I think, it's a start for me and the only way is up so hopefully, next time, some more minutes and then some better results in general."
Vanzeir has represented Belgium at the all-youth levels from the U-15’s to U-21’s. He made 37 appearances as a Belgian youth international and scored eight goals. He earned his first cap and senior national team debut on November 16 against Wales coming on as a substitute and playing 31 minutes. Former New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry was an assistant coach for the Belgium National Team when Vanzeir played for the senior team.
"A very nice welcome and that gives you a good feeling to start the game," Vanzeir said of the supporters. "I think, as a team, we have to put results in to also satisfy them. I think they did a great job supporting us today. Hopefully the next game there will be the same amount of or even more supporters to cheer us up to three points and we will work our butts off the next days the next weeks to get the results."
