FRISCO, Texas – FC Dallas has committed another of its star performers to a long-term deal with the re-signing of Homegrown and USMNT defender Reggie Cannon.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to sign with this wonderful club,” Cannon said. “These past three years I’ve tried to be the best I can be to help the people around me, to make the club better, to make my teammates better and ultimately give everything I have for this club and it’s great to be rewarded for that.”
Cannon is the sixth regular starter to re-sign with the club since the end of last season. Jesus Ferreira, Jesse Gonzalez, Matt Hedges, Ryan Hollingshead, Paxton Pomykal and now Cannon have all committed their futures to FCD in recent months, giving Dallas a strong core to build around.
But Cannon – who’s been a USMNT regular over the last year – might be the most high-profile signing of the lot.
“Reggie was another [player] we always knew we wanted to keep longer at the club,” says Andre Zanotta, FC Dallas’ Technical Director. “We forget that he’s only just turning 22 because he’s one of our [most] experienced in the team. Reggie has such a winner’s mentality and his desire to be better very day has made him who he is today.”
An FC Dallas Academy graduate, Cannon signed his pro contract in December of 2016 after one standout season with UCLA. While his rookie season didn’t go as planned (he saw exactly one minute of MLS action over the entire year), Cannon rose to prominence as an impressive two-way fullback under Oscar Pareja in 2018. He featured in 33 games that season, tallying three assists and scoring an eye-catching first pro goal that was only matched by his celebration.
Cannon capped off his breakout 2018 with a USMNT debut when he started and played 83 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Peru in October.
And he hasn’t looked back. Cannon followed 2018 with another strong MLS campaign last year, featuring in 28 games and scoring his first playoff goal in the 4-3 defeat to eventual champs Seattle Sounders. Internationally, he forced his way into Gregg Berhalter’s starting lineup with impressive displays in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinal and final. Although he’s competing in one of the USMNT’s deeper positions, the 21-year-old should be in the first-choice right back conversation for the foreseeable future.
From an underused rookie to a USMNT starter, Cannon has had a transformative two years. Now armed with a new FC Dallas contract, expect him to become one of MLS’s premier defenders—if he isn’t already.
