Joakim Nilsson had been waiting a long time for his moment.
As he began to stir along the CITYPARK sideline during the 70th minute of St. Louis CITY SC’s 6-3 victory over Austin FC on Sunday, Nilsson heard the reception. Many in the announced crowd of 22,423 applauded the sight of the 29-year-old Swede warming up in preparation for his MLS debut. And as he started to get loose, Nilsson returned the gesture—showing appreciation for a scene that he’d been eager to experience since he was acquired last June.
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Fifteen agonizing months had passed since the center back last logged minutes in a top-flight league. But finally, his wait was over. Nilsson returned from a lengthy layoff following offseason knee surgery over the weekend, taking the field for the final three-plus minutes in St. Louis’ runaway victory. Although his appearance was brief, it was an important debut long in the making for CITY.
“I’m very, very happy for him, and I think the team is, as well,” midfielder Eduard Löwen says. “The way he suffered, the way he was training for 12–14 months was really crazy.”
Indeed, St. Louis has been looking forward to finally seeing Nilsson in MLS action. For more than a year, CITY sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel has touted the skill and experience that he expected Nilsson would bring to the club upon his return. Earlier this summer, Pfannenstiel said Nilsson could be one of the best defenders in all of Major League Soccer.
CITY plucked him out of Bundesliga side Arminia Bielefeld last summer, signing him to a contract worth a guaranteed $1.1 million. He’s not only one of the club’s highest-paid players, he is poised to be a cornerstone in St. Louis’ long-term plans. Nilsson’s contract runs through 2026.
However, his introduction to North America was put on hold after he suffered a knee injury last year. It was a long journey back, but Nilsson made an effort to make himself feel as much a part of the squad as he could, even traveling to several road matches to be alongside his teammates. Nilsson’s approach quickly endeared himself to the club, which recognized how much he valued his responsibilities in St. Louis.
“He’s a leader, and the type of guy that you want in your locker room,” CITY head coach Bradley Carnell said last week.
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Nilsson earned a spot on Carnell’s roster on Sunday after scoring twice in as many games for CITY 2 in recent weeks, playing 78 minutes in his final MLS Next Pro tuneup on August 7. Carnell found an opportunity to sub him into the game during the 87th minute.
“Joakim [entered] in a moment where there’s a bit of chaos, there’s a bit of panic, there’s a bit of defending to do,” Carnell said. “For me, it’s [important] that he gets on the field and finds comfort, finds confidence and finds safety in what we are doing. He’s got the ability now to grow every single day with us, and to continue to be an option for us.”
After a long time away, Nilsson is looking forward to making more timely contributions to the postseason push soon.
“It’s been fantastic to watch them, obviously,” Nilsson said. “Frustrating, also, to not be able to be part of it. But I’m one of those guys that I’m just happy for the guys and what they’ve done so far. But I want to be part of that journey on the field, not just outside.”
Now, 15 months later, Nilsson’s opportunity is here.
“I’m looking forward to the next couple of months with Joakim,” Carnell said.
