Alhassan “Lalas” Abubakar may have been born in Kumasi, Ghana, but it’s fair to say that he’s made his name in the United States.



Raised in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, Abubakar quickly became enamored with soccer, playing on the streets with friends and for his high school team before continuing his development at the University of Ghana. After just a couple of months, Abubakar received a life-changing opportunity. The University of Dayton had sent a representative to Ghana to sign one of his teammates, who then recommended Abubakar. Despite interest from Europe, he accepted Dayton’s athletic scholarship and moved to Ohio to start a new chapter.



“I remember when I heard Dayton’s assistant coach was coming, I told my mother that it’s every kid’s dream to leave Africa to play soccer and study at the same time,” Abubakar said in an exclusive <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Soccer Talk</a> interview. “I told her to pray for me, and right after the trial, I called her and said, ‘Mom, he picked me.’ We were overjoyed. I didn’t know where Dayton was or what the weather was like; I was just happy for the opportunity.”



Abubakar scored 4 goals and 6 assists in 61 appearances across three seasons at Dayton, leading the Flyers to the 2015 A-10 Championship and earning the 2016 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year award, as well as First-Team All-Conference honors. He also gained experience in amateur soccer, being nominated for the PDL’s Young Player of the Year with the Charlotte Eagles and leading the Michigan Bucks to the 2016 Premier Development League title while winning PDL Defender of the Year. These performances caught the attention of Columbus Crew, who selected him fifth in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft.



Abubakar split time between USL Championship side Pittsburgh and Columbus in 2017, playing 10 times for the Crew, before enjoying a strong sophomore MLS season in 2018 with 23 appearances. However, when Gregg Berhalter left Columbus to coach the US Men’s National Team, new manager Caleb Porter relegated Abubakar to a reserve role. He departed in May 2019 for the Colorado Rapids, where he established himself as a starting-caliber center back, blending physicality with excellent positional awareness and quality on the ball. Similar to other top center backs like Sergio Ramos, <a href="https://rg.org/news/soccer/auckland-city-gray-club-world-cup-career-ambitions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christian Gray</a>, and Gabriel Magalhães, Abubakar also contributed offensively, scoring 9 goals and 3 assists in 153 appearances in Colorado.


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“I’m always growing in my soccer skills,” Abubakar said. “Looking back at previous seasons, I’ve made strides in reading and understanding the game. I’ll keep learning and working hard to reach the top. I’ll never stop until I get there.”



Abubakar excelled over six seasons in Colorado, winning Defender of the Year in 2019 and 2020 and helping the team reach the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2020 and the Western Conference semifinals in 2021. Seeking his first professional trophy, he signed with FC Dallas as a free agent on a two-year contract with a one-year club option.



Despite starting the season on the bench, Abubakar became a key figure in Dallas’ backline, making 26 MLS appearances and two US Open Cup appearances. His run of 10 consecutive full-90-minute matches included his first goal for Dallas in a 2-0 win over Portland.



“I feel ready for anything on the field,” Abubakar said. “The coaches know what they get from me whether I play right back, left back, center, or part of a back three. I’m always ready to help the team succeed, whether it’s starting or coming in for the final minutes.”



As FC Dallas looks to finish in the top nine and return to the playoffs, Abubakar and his teammates hold their destiny in their own hands with three games remaining in the regular season.

“I’ll never stop until I get there”: Lalas Abubakar talks ambition and growth

“I’ll never stop until I get there”: Lalas Abubakar talks ambition and growth - World Soccer Talk

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Columbus Crew defender Yevhen Cheberko has emerged as a key figure in Wilfried Nancy’s back line, helping the MLS Cup champions stay among the Eastern Conference contenders. In an exclusive interview with World Soccer Talk, the Ukrainian international discusses his journey from Europe to MLS, his partnership with Nancy, and the ambitions driving the club forward.



Born in Melitopol, Ukraine, Cheberko came through the UFK Dnipro and FC Dnipro youth systems, making 15 professional appearances before moving to Zorya Luhansk in 2017. Dnipro’s financial crisis had sent the club from European competition to collapse within just a few years. Originally a central midfielder, Cheberko shifted to defense at Zorya, playing both left back and center back, and earned his first senior Ukraine call-up in 2020.



He played 45 minutes in a 7–0 friendly defeat to France and then had to wait five years for a second appearance. That same year, Cheberko joined Austrian Bundesliga side LASK Linz for a reported €300,000, but struggled for minutes and soon moved to Osijek in Croatia. Over two seasons there he made 61 appearances, helping the club consolidate its place in the Croatian top tier, before signing with Columbus Crew in June 2023.



Two years on, Cheberko is an indispensable part of Nancy’s defense, with more than 80 appearances across all competitions.



“My relationship with Nancy is good—he’s such a good person who not only looks at your football skills but tries to help you in life and give you advice,” Cheberko told World Soccer Talk. “That’s why he’s built such a good atmosphere and a healthy environment in the team, because every player trusts him. You can be a bit more open with him in contrast to other coaches.”



Like teammates <a href="https://rg.org/news/soccer/nothing-to-hide-chris-mavinga-talks-football-career-scouting-ambitions">Chris Mavinga</a> and Brad Smith, Cheberko went many years without silverware before moving to MLS. His first season in Columbus ended with the MLS Cup, and his second brought a Leagues Cup triumph over Los Angeles FC and a trip to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final, where the Crew fell to Pachuca, narrowly missing FIFA Club World Cup qualification.



Cheberko has been vital on both sides of the ball. He ranks second on the team with 64.3 accurate passes per MLS game, just behind Sean Zawadzki (64.9), and also sits second in clearances per game (2.6) and third in tackles per game (1.7). He leads the squad in interceptions (1.1).



“My biggest strength is the way I play with the ball and how I can find a solution with the first pass and combine with the offensive players,” he said. “Thanks to my past in midfield, I can do some things on the ball that other defenders cannot. While I’ve transformed a lot as a center back, I’ve tried not to lose that confidence on the ball. I still have a lot of room for improvement, so I’m just trying to close that gap and be the best version of myself that I can possibly be.”



Columbus are again in position for a strong postseason, aiming to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for a third straight year. The Crew sit comfortably in the Eastern Conference’s top seven and are pushing to avoid the wild-card round.



“The fans constantly give us energy in home matches by cheering for us—it doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing, or super hot, they show up and support us,” Cheberko added. “You want to give back to them by performing well and winning the game. When the former owner wanted to move the team to Austin, the Crew fans took action to ensure that they didn’t lose the team. They’re always supporting, always asking me questions about my country, and we just want to pay it back, do our best to win the games, and represent the club and city.”

Exclusive: From Ukraine to MLS champion, Yevhen Cheberko talks Columbus Crew’s playoff push and life under Wilfried Nancy

Exclusive: From Ukraine to MLS champion, Yevhen Cheberko talks Columbus Crew’s playoff push and life under Wilfried Nancy - World Soccer Talk

With over ten years of experience, Zach Lowy is an accomplished freelance soccer journalist who has contributed to leading news outlets. His expertise and insights have led to him being a popular guest on radio and television, with appearances on prominent sports platforms such as BBC and SiriusXMFC.

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“I’ll never stop until I get there”: Lalas Abubakar talks ambition and growth

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Exclusive: From Ukraine to MLS champion, Yevhen Cheberko talks Columbus Crew’s playoff push and life under Wilfried Nancy