Markus Naglestad clearly knows what to do with a soccer ball at his disposal, and the Chattanooga Football Club has figured out how to make sure its 32-year-old Norwegian striker has plenty of those opportunities.
When it comes to stopping him, though, the rest of the National Independent Soccer Association doesn’t seem to have a clue.
In his past 32 NISA games over the course of last season and this one, Naglestad has scored 27 goals, produced brilliant performances and added to his trophy case. He won the league’s Golden Boot (leading scorer) and Golden Ball (MVP) honors last year after scoring 19 goals and assisting on seven others, and through Chattanooga FC’s 7-0-3 start to the 2023 NISA schedule, he leads the league with eight goals — which makes him as good a candidate as any for those awards again.
Beyond his personal dominance, Naglestad’s scoring prowess has helped CFC put a tight grip on its spot atop the standings in the nine-team NISA. The club will put its unbeaten start on the line again when the Los Angeles Force (4-1-2) visit Finley Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. It will be the second match of a doubleheader, with the CFC women (2-3-2) playing their regular-season finale against Soda City SC (0-6-0) at 4:30.
Naglestad is in his third season in Chattanooga, which means second-year CFC coach Rod Underwood has always enjoyed the benefit of a reliable scorer on his roster.
“The thing about being a successful pro is consistency,” Underwood said. “There are a lot of guys who have talent and unbelievable ability, but consistency separates the really good ones. It’s consistency in the hard and easy days. You have to have that hard work in your DNA and strive to reach the highest level possible.”
Naglestad has shown that consistency throughout his collegiate and professional career, but there have been moments when he has stood out even more.
He helped the University of Providence win the Big East Conference title in 2014, with his highlights that year including a four-goal performance in a 5-1 win over Rhode Island. As a pro, Naglestad has been the Golden Boot winner in his league four times. In CFC’s preseason exhibition against Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer on Jan. 28 at Finley, he wowed the crowd by scoring twice in the first 27 minutes of a 3-3 draw.
His most recent remarkable feat came in last Saturday’s 1-1 home draw against NISA foe Club De Lyon. In stoppage time, Naglestad curled a 25-plus yard free kick from the left sideline over a wall of four defenders and past the diving keeper for the equalizer.
The crowd exploded in celebration, and in a picturesque scene, the striker ran toward the CFC sideline to Underwood, whose arms were wide open, as the two shared a special moment.
“That free kick goal was very special,” said Naglestad, who has more than 150 goals in his professional career. “It had been such a rough game and we had been knocking on the door for so long with nothing to show for it. So to rescue a result that late meant a lot. The attention that moment got just shows how much this club means to the people of Chattanooga. So that was really cool to see.”
There have been challenges, of course. Although selected by New York City FC in the 2015 MLS draft, he never signed with the club due to an injury. But the 19-year-old who came to the United States more than a decade ago to play college soccer has matured into a seasoned pro with plenty of good moments on the field, and he continues to make memories in the Scenic City.
Underwood, in reflecting on Naglestad’s tying goal last weekend, said that while it was a “great moment” in what it accomplished in that match, it was also something more.
“Those are life moments you will never forget as a player and as a coach,” Underwood said. “You never forget those moments. It shows the character of the group and that we are fighting until the end.”
Naglestad and his teammates take pride in doing just that for CFC and its fans.
“We have a great platform here in Chattanooga,” Naglestad said. “Every game day is perfect, and so is the way we are treated and taken care of. It is unmatched at this level. Win or lose, our fans are here for us. They help us so much when we play. When we are tired in the second half and need that goal, they give us that extra boost. We are lucky to have them.”
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.