Aleksej Miranchuk is in love with Atlanta

“Why did you choose Atlanta?” “Because I like hip hop. I like Future, Lil Baby, Gunna, Young Thug, Offset. I’m not sure if you know these artists”. Aleksej Miranchuk, who transferred this summer from Atalanta to Atlanta United for around 13.5 million euros, responded this way to the first question in his press conference with his new American team. None of the journalists present expected such a reason, but the Russian footballer’s words brought a smile to the press room. Perhaps not only because of what he said, but also because it’s hard to picture Miranchuk as a fan of the Atlanta trap scene, a passion that usually comes with a distinct style, both in terms of clothing and a certain type of “attitude”. An attitude that follows rapper clichés, very different from Miranchuk's image, though his Instagram feed clearly shows it: poses that speak for themselves, Mercedes G-Class and Chrome Hearts trucker hats.

In the Spotify playlist of a player like Miranchuk, known for his elegance and serene calmness, we would probably expect to find other kinds of artists. Perhaps even the most classic pre-set Spotify selection, like Peaceful Piano or something similar. Just seven months ago, Atalanta won 2-0 against Udinese, with goals by the Russian playmaker and Gianluca Scamacca, both set up by elegant assists from Charles De Ketelaere, his “partner in crime,” whom he will hardly encounter on Major League Soccer pitches. That match was one of the last displays of his class in Europe before joining MLS; a farewell signature that confirmed how Miranchuk is a different kind of player, in terms of class, style, and interests. For this reason, it would have been interesting to discover that, to get in the match mode or simply to relax, he also listened to "normie" songs like James Blunt, James Morrison, or Coldplay.

But no, it’s Atlanta trap that dominates his playlist, +1000 aura points, as the youth would say. Before the match against Inter Miami, played on September 19 and decided by a Miranchuk goal six minutes before the end, Offset received a signed Atlanta United jersey from the Russian playmaker. Although the two met, many comments under the post shared by MLS spoke of "mutual respect." A bond that seems to develop in the curious multiverse of modern football, purely coincidental, especially when you consider that there is only one vowel separating Atlanta from Atalanta. And Miranchuk's arrival in Atlanta, after nine years at Lokomotiv Moscow, almost seems like the final destination of a long journey.

On March 5, 2017, Atlanta United made its Major League Soccer debut against the New York Red Bulls at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Georgia. A memorable event that marked not only the birth of a new club, but also the beginning of the Golden Spike tradition. This tradition draws inspiration from Atlanta's rich railway heritage, dating back to the 1830s when the first transcontinental railroad in the United States was built. Before the match, an eight-foot-long golden spike welcomed the players, and fans asked each team member to sign it. It was then carried into the stadium and raised in front of the ultras’ stand. The ritual was concluded by Atlanta rapper Yung Joc, accompanied by chants of “A-T-L, A-T-L.” At the end of the match, another, smaller spike was awarded to Yamil Asad, who was voted Man of the Match by the fans and symbolically drove it into a recreated railroad track. This tradition continues to this day, and Lokomotiv Moscow, also historically tied to the railway like Atlanta United, adds a touch of destiny to this story, as curious as it is coincidental, with Miranchuk at its center.