FC Cincinnati's Nazmi Albadawi on stepping up to MLS and playing for Palestine

The midfielder had a manic winter, playing in the Asian Cup and getting married. Now he’s ready to help his team in their first MLS season

As off-seasons go, the one Nazmi Albadawi just plowed through could be best described as truncated. First the FC Cincinnati attacking midfielder was called up for Palestine, the homeland of his grandparents, and promptly scored on his debut. Not too many weeks afterward, Albadawi inked an MLS contract with Cincinnati after an impressive season in the team’s final lower-league campaign before they joined the US top-flight this year. To top it off, he then had to make a mad dash home to North Carolina during Palestine’s warm-ups for January’s Asian Cup: he was getting married.

“It was the best off-season of my life – my wedding was the best day of my life,” says Albadawi. And of the footballing step-up ahead: “Being in training camp in Qatar and the Asian Cup in Dubai I think was the best preparation I could have for my first MLS season.”

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