Like a Nashville SC player and a young fan formed a link on Pokémon

When the final whistle exploded in Geodis Park, the midfielder of Nashville SD Eddi Tagseth approached the fans in the stands, ready to celebrate the impressive 3-0 victory of the team on CF Montréal. It was there where Ted Robinson, 9 years old, was waiting for Giddy to greet his favorite player from his favorite MLS team.

The young fan kept a sign with the name of the players in electric gold letters and an attached Pokémon card: “Eddi, my rayquaza for your shirt?”

This may have seemed to have an unusual offer, but for Tagseth, who, growing up, had a figurine of Pokémon similar to dragons in his room, was the perfect exchange.

The healthy moment went quickly to social media, offering the world MLS a look at the flourishing relationship between the midfielder and the young fan. It did not matter that Tagseth was still finding his way to Nashville, after joining the team in the low season. For Robinson, the player has already left a lasting impression, both inside and off the pitch.

Nashville signed Tagseth in November with a two -year contract until 2026, with an option for 2027. The Norwegian spent five years in Rosenborg Bk, who plays in the maximum flight of Norway, the Eliteserien.

“It was only the challenge I needed,” Tagseth said. “In my head, I wanted to be challenged and I think I moved away from family friends and trying something completely different, it was the challenge that really tried to me most.”

When Nashville showed interest, the decision to sign was “a kids game,” he said. “I just wanted to make my decision and come here as soon as possible. I am really happy with my decision and, so far, it was only good for me.”

Tagseth has started in all seven Nashville games this season, recording 90 minutes in each device, except for the last minute of his debut match. This also doubled as the Nashville season and the opening at home. Tagseth recalls that he combines with affection as one of his first times that the show lives that is an American professional sports match.

“It was a different experience, with the national anthem and a little fireworks before the game,” he said. “It was really a good experience and I will remember him for a long time. I am sure I will make many memories to Geodis Park in this season.”

He started well on that front. After each game, Tagseth approaches fans in the stands, as he did after that victory at the end of March on Montreal. For him, this simple gesture is important.

“Many people are different, but I like to interact with fans and also show them the different sides compared to the footballer, (showing them) that we can have other interests that we share,” Tagseth said. “Once all the football players were also fans and, when I was a child, I certainly wanted to have photos or autographs with the players I watched.”

It was during the second game of Nashville’s home that Tagseth began to interact with Robinson, following the 2-0 victory of the team over Portland. Robinson wanted to know which Pokémon was his favorite, so Tagseth told him.

Eddi Tagseth of Nashville SC has a unique link with a young supporter. (Courtesy of Nashville SC)

Robinson was a fan of Nashville SC since the first days of the team in the USL. His family holds the seasons and Robinson usually goes to the games with his parents, who both played previously. Robinson now also plays as a right wing or striker for the Tennessee Soccer Club. He is also a fan of the Premier League and Radic for Manchester City. The young man can shake the names of some of his favorite players, such as Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish, and, he secured to add, Alisson of Liverpool. Robinson wants to play as long as possible – or at least through college.

“I think he wants to play football for, how, a long time,” he said, “but I don’t want, how, go professional with it.”

Instead, you daydream on the possession of a team. Suitably, he has already nicknamed them “The Robins”.

“There are many times when I’m just playing football in the courtyard and I’m pretending that there is a different team that I am appointing,” says Robinson, with certainty. “It is (on) a nearby island, as, off the coast of Florida somewhere, and it is tropical. I called them the breasts and their color is red and blue.”

Like many children of his age, Robinson also plays video games and watch YouTube. Recently he came across a Nashville SC clip in which players were asked what they were good in addition to football. Tagseth, without hesitation, said Pokémon. In another clip, when he was asked what kind of Barbie the players would be, Tagseth said again: a Pokémon coach.

The videos resonate with Robinson, who also likes Pokémon. His favorite is Lucary.

Robinson’s father, Jay, recently rekindled his childhood love for the Japanese franchise, who remains popular between millennials and older generations. In addition to the nostalgia, Pokémon’s American awakening was fed by modern versions, such as Pokémon Go, the augmented reality game that exploded during the pandemic and the game of Pokémon trading cards, another game of mobile devices. It also helps that Jay can share this link with Ted now and, in the end, his two younger brothers.

Ted Robinson, 9 years old, and his colleague lover of Pokémon Eddi Tagseth. (Photo courtesy of Jay Robinson)

Tagseth’s interest in Pokémon rekindled in the same way, when he was taking up from a back injury last year. One of the only exercises he could make safe was walks. So, to make the walks more fun, he collected Pokémon Go.

“The interest has just returned and I started playing with my old game,” he said. “I still play from time to time and I started collecting the cards again, so it’s still a great interest.”

AND Rayquaza – a legendary Pokémon that remains the most difficult to capture in any versions of the game – was still his favorite. The version of the card of Rayquaza However, it was not difficult to find for Robinson. He had one in his deck of Pokémon cards or, more precisely, in the deck of his father.

Since Robinson exchanged his card for the tagseth consumed shirt, he has somehow became a local celebrity among his friends.

“I really feel like I was a little famous,” said Robinson, “like most Nashville.”

Since he exchanged that Pokémon card with Tagseth, Robinson following creating a player’s natural -size Pokémon card, who also signed the player. While the Robinson family will be at the Ted football tournament next time Nashville will return to Geodis Park, they plan to be there for the Nashville match against Chicago on April 26.

He plans to present himself with the Tagseth shirt, which in the end will frame in his bedroom. When he sees Eddi, he will ask another question: Who should exchange a Pokémon card with others?

(Photo above: for kind concession of Nashville SC)