Dax on Dax: Atlanta’s McCarty talks love of the Open Cup, aging and the rarity of finals

“I would tell the Daxes of old to appreciate this opportunity a little bit more,” Dax McCarty said of his first Open Cup final, in 2007 with FC Dallas, when he was still what he calls a “cocky” teenager. “We’re talking about 17 years ago and I thought I’d be playing in a final every year.

“But the Dax of Now, well, he realizes, “shit, it’s not “I do,” said the player, who still has a youthful glint in his eye but, at 37, is in the late green autumn of his playing career. “I lost that Open Cup final and I lost an MLS Cup final — and I never went back.”

There are many ways to define success. McCarty’s lack of Open Cup and MLS Cup trophies in his nearly two-decade career is a given. So is his status in the pantheon of MLS’s best defensive midfielders, as well as his two Supporters’ Shields with the New York Red Bulls. The widespread esteem in which he is held by teammates and opponents alike speaks volumes about himself. Now with Atlanta United, his sixth MLS club, he’s hoping to finally lift a trophy that means something to him.

“I love the Open Cup. I’ve always loved the Open Cup,” said McCarty, who is just three wins away from lifting the oldest trophy in American soccer and taking a step beyond what he did as a 19-year-old with FC Dallas in his first full year as a professional. “I love the history of the tournament and the fact that it’s a real challenge to play these lower-division teams and have to figure out how to get past them and get to the next level.”

Old Dax and the Children of Atlanta

The first two games of Atlanta United’s 2024 Open Cup campaign have seen plenty of new faces called up from the academy. It’s a necessity in an increasingly restricted schedule and with the natural roster rotation employed by many MLS teams at the start of our annual tournament. And among this herd of young guns, McCarty was the steady old leader – the calming influence and occasional firefighter.

The Round of 32 match in Kennesaw, Georgia, against third-division Charlotte Independence began with a moment of panic. McCarty, who had played more Open Cup games (22) than all his teammates combined that day, turned in a loose ball near the edge of the opposing penalty area that fell at the feet of an Independence player. A lightning fast counterattack ensued as a winded McCarty desperately chased the ball 80 yards before committing a foul and receiving a yellow card for his troubles. “Well, well, not a good start to the tournament for me.”