One of key contributors to Atlanta United 2 in 2024 flew under the radar for most of the season. An injury suffered on August 18 at Inter Miami II prematurely ended Erik Centeno’s season and damaged the 2’s chances of reaching the MLS Next Pro playoffs. His ability to get forward has never been in question, but the strength of his defending gave the squad balance and consistency that was difficult to replace.
“I'm a player that doesn't really get injured too often. It's kind of new for me getting this injury and especially kind of late in the season. Right now, my main focus is trying to get healthy and fit again for whatever comes next season, next year,” Centeno said.
Atlanta United 2 manager Steve Cooke said, “Erik Centeno is, one, an amazingly good person. He's so kind. He's such a great teammate. He's always been a person who is a focal point of the group in terms of not being a vociferous guy or somebody who's gregarious and outgoing particularly, but one who is always there for players is always giving his all.”
He stayed connected with the squad, helping in whatever way he could to support the squad, but these sorts of injuries are difficult for young professionals trying to break through. He said, “Yeah, it's a little difficult. Mentally it's hard for me, but I try to support the team in whatever way I can.”
Karim Tmimi talked about how important Centeno was to the squad and how much was lost due to his injury. “He’s one of the best 1v1 and crossers in the league. His injury really hurt us and we immediately felt his absence during games. But he managed well mentally, he’s always here to watch the sessions and support even if it wasn’t easy for him to end his year 8-9 games before the season ends.”
Javier Armas captained Atlanta United 2 often in 2024. When asked about Centeno’s qualities, he said, “It was just so amazing every time that he had the ball wide, one versus one, everyone knew in the box they were going to have a cross. To have the feeling as a striker, you know, or as another player, it's like, ‘Okay, I know the cross is coming no matter what.’”
Centeno has had to forge his own path in the game. As a young player, he spent time in both the FC Dallas and Sacramento Republic academies. “Yeah, I feel like it's been tough for me,” he said. “I remember I would see players signed super early at 15, 16 years old, homegrown players that I grew up with. So it was kind of hard for me seeing them. I mean, I just kept going and going and. Everyone has their own different path to make it to the professional level.”
He played one season at the University of the Pacific in 2021, earning Freshman of the Year from the West Coast Conference after scoring six goals and adding five assists. “I think for me, my family is a really important thing in my life,” Centeno said. “Having the University of the Pacific there at home where I can still live at home, my family and friends could come watch me play or whatever it may be. I think that was what really made the decision easy for me to pick University of the Pacific.”
Centeno signed a Generation adidas deal after the college season concluded and was selected by Atlanta United in the MLS SuperDraft. One of the major conversations after he was drafted was about what position he would settle into at the next level. He has played all over the field for Atlanta United 2 during his three seasons with the team, making 76 appearances all over both the left and right sides. It was this season that he really started to make right back his home on the pitch.
He said, “Yeah, I've always had that in my head that maybe at the higher level my position will be right back. Honestly, I don't mind it because I'm used to it too. Growing up in the academy, I played right back.”
Debuting as a pro in the USL Championship in 2022, Centeno said that there were some things to get used to, “The speed of the game, the intensity is really higher and more physical too. The atmosphere, the fans in the other stadiums we would travel to, I mean, it was very different from what I was used to back home in college.”
Centeno said that his positioning defensively has been the area of his game that has taken the biggest jump during his time with Atlanta United. He’s also worked hard, “trying to be, especially this last third season, I've been more and more consistent in my games.”
He continued, “It's like, okay, I get it now what it takes at this level. Being more consistent, doing the little things right, all the time. That's what I've learned a lot about.” It was clear in 2024 before his injury that Centeno was putting these things into action and it was helping the team in matches greatly.
Cooke said, “He trains hard every single day and he's got real ability, he's got real ability on that right wing. He's got real ability at right back. I think he's got a good future in front of him.”Going further to talk about how important Centeno’s contributions were to the team in 2024, Cooke said, “Often times you don't really know how important someone is until they're no longer there. Erik Centeno has been a key member of our team in the last six games or so when he's not been around because he's been injured. We've noticed a big difference. And that is one of the truths of this game is often times people when you're playing, they don't quite see it. But then when you're not there, how important of a player are you when you're no longer there?”
In his absence late in the season due to injury, the importance of Erik Centeno to Atlanta United 2 was underlined.
✍️: Jason Longshore
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