CHESTER, Pa.— Kai Wagner is not the only one to have a Union homecoming. What had been rumored since August was finally announced as official on Wednesday as Union Homegrown defender Mark McKenzie will be returning to Philadelphia to rejoin the club that he developed with before departing for Europe in 2021. He will be a designated player, and the contract, guaranteed through the 2029-2030 season with a club option for 2030-2031, will take effect on January 1, 2027.
“Philadelphia has always been home to me. This club, this community, and these fans have played such an important role in shaping who I am, both as a player and as a person,” said McKenzie in the Union’s press release. “When I left, I did so with the goal of challenging myself at the highest levels in Europe and representing my country, but no matter where my career has taken me, I’ve always carried Philadelphia and the Union with me. To now have the opportunity to come home, wear this badge again, and help build on the success of this club is incredibly meaningful. I’m grateful for everything this journey has given me, and I couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter, to reconnect with the city, my teammates, and our supporters, and to get to work in January.”
McKenzie, who was born in the Bronx but grew up in Bear, Delaware, joined the Union Juniors program at age 11. He progressed through the Academy, including being in the first U13/14 squad. He eventually made his way to Union II’s predecessor, Bethlehem Steel, who played in the USL. He made his professional debut with them in June 2016. After one semester playing at Wake Forest, he decide to turn pro and signed a Homegrown deal with the Union in January 2018.
From 2018-2020, McKenzie made 48 MLS appearances (46 starts) and was nominated for the 2018 MLS Rookie of the Year Award. In 2020, he helped the Union to their first MLS Supporters’ Shield and earned MLS Best XI honors and was runner-up for Defender of the Year.
In January 2021, he was transferred to Belgian First Division A side KRC Genk, where he helped them win the Belgian Cup and qualify for UEFA Europa League. In August 2024, he moved to Ligue 1 side Toulouse FC in France.
Internationally, he received call-ups to several US Youth National Team squads, and eventually received his first senior team call-up in December 2018 for a friendly against Panama. He then had his first senior team cap in a friendly against Costa Rica on February 1, 2020. Fast forward to 2026 and he was named to the 26-man squad of the United States team to represent his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Now, he gets to return home to where it all began.
“Bringing Mark back to Philadelphia is a significant moment for our club and reflects the values and ambition of this city and our organization,” said Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Jon Scheer. “Mark came through our Academy, established himself with the First Team, and over the last several years has had success at the highest levels for both club and country, most recently representing the United States at the World Cup this past summer. This is an exciting time for our club, but also a critical period for the Union as we continue building for the future. Adding a player of Mark’s quality in the prime of his career, along with his leadership and commitment to continued growth and elevating those around him, will strengthen our club’s foundation moving forward as we pursue our goals of winning and reaching new heights. We’re excited about what we can achieve together.”
McKenzie serves as a great example for what the young players at the Union Academy can aspire to, and be a great mentor for his soon-to-be teammates that are just bursting onto the USMNT scene like Frankie Westfield, Cavan Sullivan, and Neil Pierre. Scheer, especially given his background in development, sees that value.
“I think the experiences that he’s taken from his time in Europe and with the men’s national team, and having started here at his home club, these are things that I think will help the players in our dressing room, and certainly he’ll help our staff drive standards every single day,” Scheer said.
“He’s also a great role model for the young players in our academy and and across our the greater Philadelphia area players that want to play soccer and aspire to be like him in the future. So, really, really important, the cultural aspect for us.”
McKenzie looks back fondly at his time climbing the pathway at the Union, and shared some of his backstory and experiences.
“When I first got to the academy, Chris Brewer was was my first coach. Tommy Wilson was the academy director at the time, so owe a great deal of appreciation and gratitude to them for taking a chance on me. I came into the academy just before they officially started it with a broken ankle, so it was a bit of a risk, but I was extremely grateful just to have that chance, and yeah, I made sure I made the most of it, and made sure that their decision wasn’t wasn’t a waste.”
He certainly did make the most of it. “So yeah, I’d start with them up to Jeff Cook was my 16s coach, and also my under-18’s coach Kevin Coleman, and if I go back even before that, Jim Curtin was my was my youth coach as well. So yeah, you flash forward, and I think having a great set of individuals who helped push me to be the best version of myself daily, I have a great deal of respect for them,” he shared.
“We had just a large group of of kids who had aspirations to to kind of play the game at the highest level to to step out onto that that turf, and then you had the turf out back. But you get into the locker room and you feel this energy of guys buzzing to just play this game in its purest form. Guys wanting to compete, guys hungry with ambition. I think those for me probably some of the best memories that I have of being an academy player at the the union, seeing the being in under 14, seeing the under 16 s and 18 s, and the level, and feeling like wow, I want to get there.”
That kid from Bear, Delaware, has been to Europe and back, played in the World Cup, and now gets to bring that experience and talent home to Philadelphia when they embark on the sprint season in 2027. Between that and the current 12-game unbeaten streak the Union are on, the optimism continues to grow tremendously in their second-half surge.
Main article photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union.
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