Meet the New Guy: Ryan Nagel

Hello, Orlando City community! I am one of the newest contributors here at The Mane Land, and I thought I would share a little bit about myself. I was born and raised in Southern New Jersey, about 15 minutes outside of Philadelphia. In my early days, I played a little bit of soccer, but it soon took a backseat to other sports. My true love for soccer started around six years ago, in the summer of 2011.

I was fortunate enough to see the Philadelphia Union take on Real Madrid in the World Football Challenge. Everything about the sport just encapsulated me; from the excitement of close chances and goals, to the passion of the crowd, despite it basically being a friendly match. Since that summer, my life has almost completely revolved around soccer.

My weekends start with the earliest English Premier League game, and end with the latest Major League Soccer game, while summers are consumed by international tournaments. In June 2015, I was in attendance for the Women’s World Cup semifinal match in Montreal between the United States and Germany, which saw the U.S. pull out a 2-0 win before ultimately winning in the final. This was only the start of my new ambition to visit iconic soccer stadiums all across the world.

Over the past couple of years I’ve slowly learned more and more about the game, from players and teams around the world, to formations and tactics. I have finally reached the point that I feel comfortable writing about the sport I love. This is my first position as a writer, and I am excited to contribute to the growth of The Mane Land and share in the lifestyle that is supporting Orlando City.