Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar believes his team is ready to win a trophy this season, after leading the Eastern Conference standings and preparing to face Atlanta United.

Time to Win Trophies: Mukhtar Focuses on MLS Success Together

According to Soccernews.

Background

Hany Mukhtar, Nashville SC's key striker, has scored six goals and provided four assists this season. He is one of the players who is relied on to bring the team to success, especially after winning the US Open Cup trophy last year. With coach B.J. Callaghan who encourages a culture of improvement, Mukhtar and his colleagues are ready to face the challenges in MLS.

Why this is important

Hany Mukhtar emphasized the importance of winning trophies for Nashville SC, who are currently at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference standings. With solid form, including three wins in a row before the break, the team shows great potential to compete at the highest level. Mukhtar's confidence reflects the club's ambition to not only win local trophies, but also pursue more prestigious titles in MLS.

Main Points

Time to Win Trophies: Mukhtar Focuses on MLS Success Together.
Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar believes his team is ready to win a trophy this season, after leading the Eastern Conference standings and preparing to face Atlanta United.
Hany Mukhtar remains central to Nashville SC's plans.

Hany Mukhtar, Nashville SC forward, expressed confidence that "it's time for this team to win a trophy" as they prepare to face Atlanta United in their first game after the World Cup break. Nashville SC is currently at the top of the Eastern Conference standings after reeling off three wins in a row before the break, two points clear of Inter Miami and with a game in hand. Under the direction of coach B.J. Callaghan, Nashville have only suffered one defeat from the 14 matches they have played in the 2026 season. Mukhtar himself has scored six goals and provided four assists, while Sam Surridge is the top scorer with nine goals.

Last year, Nashville won their first trophy by winning the US Open Cup. However, Mukhtar believes the club is ready to pursue bigger titles. "It's time for this team to win a trophy," Mukhtar told MLSsoccer.com. "We won the Open Cup last year, and that was amazing. But we have bigger goals as a club, and I think it's time. We're growing, and we're ready to achieve these things."

Mukhtar also praised coach Callaghan, who he said reflected the club's culture. "B.J. is a very good and talented coach," added Mukhtar. "What impresses me most is that he's always willing to improve – always trying to improve the team, always wanting to adapt and make the players better. And that's what I think is the culture at this club. We want to get better, we want to improve, and we look for solutions to problems. He has a clear idea of how to play, and it's been great so far. But we're still in the middle of the season, so we still have a long way to go."

On the other hand, Atlanta United entered the break on a poor note, winless in the last four matches, including a loss in the US Open Cup quarter-finals against Orlando City. They are currently 14th in the Eastern Conference standings, but a win against the league leaders could change the course of their season.

Players to Watch
Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar
Mukhtar has scored eight goals against Atlanta in all competitions, second only to Lucho Acosta (nine) for most goals against this team. However, Atlanta managed to keep Mukhtar scoreless in the last three meetings since the start of the 2025 season, having previously scored in six of the previous nine meetings.

Atlanta United – Aleksey Miranchuk
Aleksey Miranchuk has scored five goals in MLS this season, becoming Atlanta's top scorer. He also provided two assists, but did not contribute to a goal in the last four games in all competitions.

Match Prediction – Nashville SC Win
Nashville became the sixth team in MLS history to collect at least 33 points in the first 14 games of a season, and only the second in the last 15 years (FC Cincinnati – 33 in 2023). The previous five teams had all won the Supporters' Shield, although only one team, Sporting Kansas City in 2000, had won the MLS Cup. Nashville had a 2-0 win at Atlanta on April 18 in the two teams' first meeting this season. The only time one team beat another twice in one regular season was in 2020, when Atlanta won two of three games (L1). Despite collecting just 11 points in 14 games this season, Atlanta is just seven points out of the playoff spot. Three teams in the last decade have made the playoffs after tallying 11 points or fewer in the season's opening 14 games: D.C. United in 2018, Inter Miami in 2020, and Kansas City in 2023.

OPTA Chance to Win
Nashville SC – 65.9%
Draw – 18.2%
Atlanta United – 15.9%

What happened next

Nashville SC will face Atlanta United in a crucial match that could determine the direction of their season. With Mukhtar's positive momentum and confidence, it is hoped that this team can continue their good performance. If successful, Nashville could strengthen their position in the standings and increase their chances of winning further trophies in MLS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Hany Mukhtar reveal about Nashville SC?

Hany Mukhtar expressed confidence that 'it's time for this team to win a trophy'.

Who is the current coach of Nashville SC?

Nashville SC's current coach is B.J. Callaghan

Why does Nashville SC feel ready to win bigger trophies?

Nashville SC feels ready to win bigger trophies as they won the US Open Cup last year and are currently at the top of the Eastern Conference standings with good form.

What are Nashville SC's achievements before the World Cup break?

Before the World Cup break, Nashville SC achieved three wins in a row.

How many goals has Hany Mukhtar scored this season?

Hany Mukhtar has scored six goals and provided four assists this season.

Time to Win a Trophy: Mukhtar Focuses on MLS Success Together