Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has talked a lot about his journey. About his childhood, spent in Guadeloupe, Djibouti, Martinique and beyond. About his vagabond playing career spent in the lower divisions of French soccer. About moving to Montreal in 2006 with little more than a backpack and struggling to climb the coaching ladder.
All of those things have made Nancy — now the head coach of the defending MLS Cup champions — among the most compelling figures in North American soccer. Yet still, after this long and winding path, Nancy’s journey manages to include stops that surprise even him.
On Friday, the 47-year-old stood on the north lawn of the White House, soaking in the scene. Earlier in the day, Nancy and his players had walked into the Oval Office and met with President Biden, who posed for a photo with the team, standing at the far end of the frame and joking that he could be cropped out if needed.
At a mid-morning ceremony, they were honored by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris. Nancy offered some remarks, prodded into it by Crew GM Issa Tall.
Nancy is never at a loss for words but seemed emotional and reserved as he delivered his remarks. In 2023, the Frenchman became the first Black head coach to win an MLS Cup, and on Friday he became the first Black head coach of an MLS team to visit the White House.
“To be honest, I was emotional,” Nancy told The Athletic. “I was emotional when Issa told me I had to make the speech… I was emotional because I’m really proud of being in Columbus, living in America. To coach here, to give my kids the education and see something different.
“And to be here (at the White House) — we are talking about the first Black MLS head coach. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of it. I don’t like to talk about too much, but I like to show stuff. I like facts. So for me, this is part of that, for sure. If I can inspire people with that; to be limitless.
“Like I’ve said before, impossible is an opinion. This is exactly that. For me, it’s really important because there is a lot of meaning behind that.”
Nancy has spoken before about being a pioneer in the American game, one of a handful of Black head coaches in the league’s 28-year history.
“When I was 18 years old, I decided to come here on vacation,” said Nancy. “My friend and I had to choose between Sao Paulo or New York. We came to New York, for 15 days, because we wanted to come to the United States. I enjoyed it so much that we had to leave after 10 days because we ran out of money and now all these years later, I am here with the whole organization at the White House.
“When I talk about my story, the whole story, it was exactly that. This is amazing.”
Darlington Nagbe’s path to the White House was also long and winding — and full of near-misses.
Nagbe, among the most consistently productive midfielders in league history, has been on four different MLS Cup-winning sides and even visited the White House in 2010 after winning an NCAA national championship with the University of Akron. Each time, though, scheduling conspired to deny him an audience with the President. In 2018, after winning an MLS Cup with Atlanta United, Nagbe — and the rest of the team — weren’t even invited to the White House by former President Donald J. Trump.
Nagbe fled his native Liberia at five months old to escape the First Liberian Civil War and followed his father, also a professional player, to France, Greece and elsewhere before landing in the United States at age 11.
Nagbe, among the most decorated players in league history, went on to represent the U.S. at the international level, earning 25 caps across a three-year stay with the US men’s national team.
“Given my family’s history and just the way I grew up, the things I’ve been through, the things my family has been through,” said Nagbe, “to get the chance to represent the U.S. was a big moment in my career and now I’m getting the chance to come to the White House, and meet the President.
“I just never thought that was possible for me, no matter how much success I achieved. I can’t wait to tell my mom, send her all these videos and pictures that I took. I think she’s going to be really emotional when she sees them because of her journey and what she’s been through.”
Nagbe, and a few other Crew players, milled about outside the White House after the ceremony, snapping photos of each other and of the building itself.
“Personally, all of this means so much more than just a picture,” said Nagbe, “because of the struggle my family has been through. This is special.”
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(Top photo: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
