Hany Mukhtar hits historic heights in Nashville SC win | OneFootball

By Ben Wright

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Hany Mukhtar made history on Saturday night.

With a goal and an assist against Charlotte FC in a 4-2 win at GEODIS Park, the Nashville SC captain became the third-fastest player in MLS history to reach 150 regular-season goal contributions.

Behind only MLS MVP namesake Landon Donovan (178 games) and two-time MVP Preki (181), Mukhtar continues to write his name among the all-time greats in MLS history.

Boasting 85 regular-season goals and an MLS MVP award of his own (2022), Mukhtar has established himself as one of the league's most consistent performers in recent memory, recording double-digit goal tallies in four of his six full seasons.

Music City magic

Mukhtar has been key to Nashville's club-record start to the 2026 campaign.

Through their first nine matches in MLS play, they're top of the Eastern Conference (7W-1L-1D) and have outscored their opponents by a whopping 21-6 margin.

Not only that, but they're through to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals against Tigres UANL following their historic win over Club América at Estadio Azteca.

The Boys In Gold became the first-ever MLS club to win a match at the famed Mexico City stadium, with Mukhtar fittingly bagging the match-winning goal.

Devastating DPs

Notably, it's not just Mukhtar who's in form. 

Nashville's trio of Designated Players – Mukhtar, Sam Surridge and Cristian Espinoza – have combined for a staggering 30 goal contributions through their opening 15 matches across all competitions. 

Courtesy of his brace against Charlotte, Surridge is also tied with FC Dallas striker Petar Musa for the Golden Boot presented by Audi lead, gunning for the trophy after finishing joint-second behind Lionel Messi last season with 24 goals.

Ahead of Leg 1 of Tuesday's CCC semifinal at GEODIS Park, Nashville are surpassing expectations and proving every week that they're a legitimate threat for every trophy they're playing for.

And as always, it begins and ends with Hany Mukhtar.

HIGHLIGHTS: Nashville SC vs. Charlotte FC | April 25, 2026