FC St. Pauli: This is how Leon Flax’s US adventure works

It is an exception that players who had to, were allowed or wanted to leave St Pauli found their unlimited happiness elsewhere. However, Leon Flach is a prime example of the fact that there can be a successful football presence outside the neighbourhood.

Six months ago, the people of Hamburg let him go. The defensive midfielder, who scored his first professional goal at 1:2 in Fürth at the beginning of January, received an offer from his home country. The Texan native was courted by the Philadelphia League of MLS—finally successfully.

Regular player: Leon Flach delivers in Philadelphia

In the true sense of the word. The 20-year-old, for whom St Pauli earned a transfer fee of around €250,000, has particularly progressed to becoming a regular in coach Jim Curtin and is really thriving. The crowning so far came on the final day of the game: The Flash scored the first goal in his 27th appearance for Philadelphia, that final 3-0 against Columbus Crew.

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The joy was in that, especially as Philadelphia jumped to third place in the Eastern Conference with its victory and cemented its playoff ambitions. On Sunday night Flach and Union want to continue their successful path, and then it goes to the bottom of the pack, Cincinnati.