Five Charlotte FC Players to Watch This Weekend

Charlotte FC is about to embark upon one of the biggest sporting debuts in American history this weekend.

The expansion MLS side is expecting a crowd of over 73,500 supporters in the heart of North Carolina's biggest city and that bodes well for a community that has been seeking proper football attention in the country's top flight.

Charlotte debuted in a 3-0 defeat against DC United a week ago, but the true test for the new club will be how they rally behind their home faithful on Saturday night when the city and country are all watching.

If the club's aspirations come to fruition, Charlotte's home match against the LA Galaxy will be the most-attended single game in MLS history, breaking a spell set by Atlanta United on several occasions.

Today, we're taking a look at five Charlotte FC players that you should be watching coming into the weekend.

Lindsey is a promising defender that previously spent time at Sporting KC. The Charlotte native returns home to help the expansion side build out its initial squad and the former U.S. Under-20 right back will have to be consistent for this team to surprise the rest of the Eastern Conference.

Fuchs is the veteran in the squad that everyone turns to given his vast European experience. The former Leicester City defender is tasked with serving as the heart and soul of the team and leading by example for a team that features plenty of youth.

Fuchs will have a variety of defensive roles with this Charlotte side, especially after the team lined up with five at the back in Week 1.

The top pick in this year's MLS SuperDraft comes to Charlotte as a young player with an opportunity to make an instant impact in the midfield. Bender was very sought after coming into the league after starring at the University of Maryland.

Last year, Bender was a key figure for NPSL side FC Baltimore Christos, where he scored six goals and won the league's Young Player of the Year award.

Ortiz brings a strong presence after playing for some of South America's elite sides like Huracan, Racing and Independiente.

Ortiz will be relied upon heavily up front as one of the side's main sources of goals. He's got great pace and versatility to be utilized in various positions on the front line which gives Charlotte flexibility with how it aligns.

Gaines actually spent the first few seasons of his career in Germany before coming to MLS in 2021 where he spent time with Austin FC during their debut season.

Now, the Texas native is looking to bring a spark to Charlotte in their inaugural campaign