EPL Champ & Charlotte FC Captain Christian Fuchs Talks UPSL & Player Development
Born in a football-loving country, there were very few moments of Christian Fuchs’ childhood that were spent without a soccer ball. In Austria, every minute spent with friends outside of school involves kicking a ball around.
“I played because I loved the game, but my professional career also shows that persistence and determination pay off. At the age of 17, I signed my first pro contract, even after I was told many times I was not good enough.
Now in his 20th professional season, Christian captains the brand-new MLS franchise, Charlotte FC and still is ambitious as ever. After playing a majority of his career in Austria, Germany and England, winning the German Super Cup, English Premier League and FA Cup, he now has his sights set on creating an international pipeline to the pros for the next generation of players.
“My passion for the game never faded, but my perspective changed. I developed a desire to give young players the chance to develop and get the support they need to get to the next level.” He explains. “Our soccer facility Hudson Sports Complex, in New York, is a home that gives us the perfect venue to think big and expand.
His Fox Soccer Pro team has been competing in the UPSL since 2019 and currently plays out of Hudson Sports Complex, which also serves as the US base for his Fox Soccer Academy. Currently, Fox Soccer Academy has three international locations including England and Austria.
“I want to help players in every country and create pathways to professional soccer. What’s important for us is to help shape great human beings. We want to be a part of creating extraordinary people. We currently have many players trialing with professional teams at all levels in England. My goal is to help create soccer development hubs all over the world.”
“We found out quickly about the UPSL, because we needed a competitive league for our potential pro talent. Our experience has been great so far. The league plays a key role in what we do.”
Christian plans to take those developing pros in his network and place them in high-level scouting events to further showcase their talent.
Last week, Hudson Sports Complex hosted a national scouting event attended by the likes of Liverpool, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Fulham and top MLS organizations. With over 70 top players varying in age from top Division 1 colleges, MLS Next and USYS National League teams, Christian considers the first annual Fox Soccer Showcase a success.
“To have these top Premier League scouts and coaches there, not only looking at players but actively jumping in and help coach sessions was amazing to see. The level was on such a great standard that every coach in attendance has already reached out to inquire about next year’s Fox Soccer Showcase event, set to return next year July 8th and 9th 2023.”
“What the UPSL is doing fits into our development plan for our players because it’s a competitive national league that operates year-round. Our conference manager, Paul, is always very responsive and on top of everything. In our first season, we were able to finish as champions of our conference, and since then our goal has always been to finish top of the table.”
This June, FSA Pro lifted the Northeast American North regular season trophy with an almost undefeated record with 52 goals scored, losing only their final game of the season.
“I’m very proud of our team, coaches, staff and everyone involved for this achievement. We always value a fluid, attractive, attacking style of play and everyone’s hard work has paid off. The UPSL plays an important role in our soccer pro development structure at FSA Pro and Fox Soccer Academy.
About United Premier Soccer League
The UPSL was formed in 2011 and currently includes more than 325 teams nationwide. The UPSL is the largest Pro Development League in North America. Each UPSL team is individually owned and operated. UPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds through the league’s affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA).
More information about UPSL can be found at www.staging.upsl.com or by following the league on Facebook (facebook.com/upslsoccer), Instagram (@upslsoccer) and Twitter (@upslsoccer).
Contact UPSL: [email protected]
Media Relations: [email protected]