Emil Forsberg did not mince words during his introduction at Red Bull Arena.
“I'm here to win with the guys and take us forward. That’s the mentality we’ve got to have every day, even in training,” Forsberg said. “I know how good I am, and what I can bring to the team, and I'm going to do that.”
Head of Sport Jochen Schneider praised Forsberg, not only for his talent on the pitch but his attitude off of it.
“An amazing signing for our club,” Schneider said. “He is not only an outstanding player, but also a fantastic human being.”
Forsberg said he was excited for the challenge in MLS.
“I'm very, very motivated. [I’m] hungry to win,” Forsberg said. “That's what made me come. I think we can achieve some fantastic things here. From the beginning, as soon as I heard about it, I wanted to do it, 1,000 percent. I'm so happy to be here, and the first couple of weeks have been amazing. The guys have been fantastic to me. I think we're going in a fantastic direction with Sandro [Schwarz], as well. It feels amazing to be here.”
Forsberg joined New York after spending the last nine seasons with RB Leipzig. He made 324 appearances with RB Leipzig, where he scored 71 goals and tallied 68 assists. Forsberg has represented the Sweden National Team since 2014, where he has made 86 international caps and scored 21 goals and tallied nine assists.
“It's amazing for us, having a player like Emil,” Schneider said.
Forsberg knows coming here, to New York, brings an unbelievable amount of pressure, especially in the spotlight of sports in the area.
“I've been playing under pressure my whole life,” Forsberg said. “I love the pressure. I'm excited. I'm very comfortable, and I'm also convinced about the quality of the team and what I'm going to bring to the team.”
Forsberg won two DFB-Pokals with RB Leipzig, including the club’s first in 2021, where he scored the game-winning goal in the semifinals against Union Berlin.
“I think we have a big chance together with Sandro,” Forsberg said. “Fantastic coach and the coaching staff, with all the players, we're going to be a team and we're going to win as a team, and this is what we have to bring every day to training. If we do that, I'm convinced we're going to have a lot of fun this year.”
Forsberg has already scored a goal in preseason that has gone viral around the globe, but he’ll take the field for the first time in Nashville on February 25. He’ll make his first Red Bull Arena on March 9.
“I'm so happy to be here and I can't wait for the season to start so that we can win games,” Forsberg said.
