Philly Leader

Wednesday night’s 5-1 victory against New York City FC was a complete team effort, with notable performances from the team’s five goal scorers and 18-year-old keeper Andrew Rick. However, Kai Wagner emerged as an unsung game-changer. The 27-year-old German left back signed a long-term contract with Philadelphia during the 2023 offseason and has since been crucial to the team's success on both ends of the field. With his second-half assist to Jakob Glesnes, Wagner tied Sebastian Le Toux as the club’s all-time assist leader with his 50th in MLS play.

“It’s a huge achievement that I've made for myself,” Kai Wagner said after the match. “I think, as a defender, it's even greater to get such a number of assists. I don't think a lot of defenders can say they have these numbers and I'm really happy about it. I couldn't do it without the team or without the fans, but it's a lot of hard work. It's a lot of hard work I do by myself. I just want to keep going and hopefully pass him soon.”

Wagner's impact on the team's attack has been significant since his arrival in Philadelphia in 2019, especially as a defender. When asked about his effective playmaking ability, Wagner attributed it to his left foot and enjoyment of contributing on both ends of the field.

“I love to defend, I love to attack, but I think I have a really good left foot. I work a lot on my left foot, and I take a lot of corner kicks and free kicks, of course,” Wagner said.

As of matchday 33, Wagner ranks third in key passes made across the league with 81 passes leading directly to shots this year. Only Luciano Acosta and Ryan Gauld have more key passes, making Wagner the only Major League Soccer defender in the top ten for this statistic.

"It's unique that our left back is one of our bigger chance creators, probably our biggest," Head Coach Jim Curtin said in his postgame press conference. "From the left back spot, that is special. Obviously restarts help add to that total, but the assists for a left back—his left foot on service and crosses—and the work that [Assistant Coach] Frank Leicht does with our set pieces pays dividends. Kai is a real weapon. I love his defending first and foremost; he's very steady and cerebral."

Wagner's achievement was complemented by Philadelphia Union’s dominant performance at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. While he aims to surpass Le Toux's record before season's end, Wagner emphasized that his primary focus remains on team success as they push for playoff contention.

“I want to pass him this year. My assist record in one season is 15, so I hope I can hopefully get a little bit closer there," Wagner stated. "But now I just want to help the team get into playoffs and give the city what they deserve."

The next challenge for Wagner and Philadelphia Union is against D.C. United at Subaru Park in a national TV showdown presented by Widener University.