How a Nashville SC player and a young fan formed a bond over Pokémon

New York Times

08-04-2025

When the final whistle blew at Geodis Park, Nashville SC midfielder Eddi Tagseth approached the fans in the stands, ready to celebrate the team's impressive 3-0 win over CF Montréal. It was there where 9-year-old Ted Robinson waited, giddy to greet his favorite player from his favorite MLS team.
The young fan held up a sign with the players' name in electric gold lettering, and a Pokémon card attached: 'Eddi, my Rayquaza for your shirt?'
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This may have seemed like an unusual offer, but for Tagseth, who, growing up, had a figurine of the dragon-like Pokémon in his room, it was the perfect exchange.
The wholesome moment quickly made its way to social media, offering the MLS world a glimpse into the blossoming relationship between the midfielder and young fan. It did not matter that Tagseth was still finding his way in Nashville, after joining the team in the offseason. To Robinson, the player already left a lasting impression, both on and off the pitch.
Nashville signed Tagseth in November on a two-year contract through 2026, with an option for 2027. The Norwegian spent five years at Rosenborg BK, which plays in Norway's top flight, the Eliteserien.
'It was just the challenge I needed,' Tagseth said. 'In my head, I wanted to be challenged, and I think to move far away from family friends and try something completely different, was the challenge that really tempted me the most.'
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When Nashville showed interest, the decision to sign was 'a no-brainer,' he said. 'I just wanted to make my decision and come here as soon as possible. I'm really happy about my decision, and, so far, it's only been good for me.'
Tagseth has started in all seven of Nashville's games this season, logging a full 90 minutes in every fixture, save for the final minute of his debut match. That also doubled as Nashville's season and home opener. Tagseth remembers that match fondly as one of his first times experiencing the spectacle that is an American professional sports game.
'That was a different experience, with the national anthem and a bit of fireworks before the game,' he said. 'It was really a good experience, and I'll remember that for a long time. I'm sure I will make a lot of memories at Geodis Park this season.'
He's off to a good start on that front. After every game, Tagseth approaches the fans in the stands, like he did after that late March win over Montreal. For him, this simple gesture is important.
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'A lot of people are different, but I like interacting with the fans and showing them different sides than the soccer player as well, (showing them) that we can have other interests that we share,' Tagseth said. 'All soccer players have been fans once as well and, when I was a kid, I was definitely wanting to have photos or autographs with the players I used to watch.'
It was during Nashville's second home game that Tagseth first began interacting with Robinson, following the team's 2-0 win over Portland. Robinson wanted to know which Pokémon was his favorite, so Tagseth told him.
Robinson has been a fan of Nashville SC since the team's early days in the USL. His family holds season tickets, and Robinson usually goes to games with his parents, who both previously played. Robinson now plays, too, either as right wing or striker for Tennessee Soccer Club. He is also a fan of the Premier League, and he roots for Manchester City. The youngster can rattle off the names of some of his favorite players, like Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish, and, he made sure to add, Liverpool's Alisson. Robinson wants to play for as long as he can – or at least through college.
'I think want to play soccer for, like, a really long time,' he said, 'but I don't want to, like, go professional with it.'
Instead, he daydreams about owning a team. Fittingly, he's already dubbed them 'The Robins.'
'There's a lot of times where I'm just playing soccer in the backyard and I'm pretending that there's a different team that I'm naming,' Robinson says, with certainty. 'It's (on) an island near, like, off the coast of Florida somewhere, and it's tropical. I named them the Robins, and their color is red and blue.'
Like many kids his age, Robinson also plays video games and watches YouTube. He recently stumbled upon a Nashville SC clip where players were asked what they were good at besides soccer. Tagseth, without hesitation, said Pokémon. In another clip, when asked what type of Barbie the players would be, Tagseth again said: a Pokémon trainer.
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The videos resonated with Robinson, who also enjoys Pokémon. His favorite is Lucario.
Robinson's father, Jay, recently reignited his childhood love for the Japanese franchise, which remains popular among millennials and older generations. Apart from nostalgia, Pokémon's U.S. revival has been fueled by modern-day versions of it, like Pokémon Go, the augmented reality game that blew up during the pandemic, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game, another mobile game. It also helps that Jay can share this bond with Ted now, too, and, eventually, his two younger siblings.
Tagseth's interest in Pokémon reignited similarly, when he was recovering from a back injury last year. One of the only exercises he could do safely was go for walks. So, to make the walks more entertaining, he picked up Pokémon Go.
'The interest just came back, and I started playing on my old Game Boy,' he said. 'I still play now and then, and I started collecting the cards again, so it's still a big interest.'
And Rayquaza – a Legendary Pokémon that remains the hardest to catch in any versions of the game – was still his favorite. The card version of Rayquaza wasn't hard for Robinson to find, though. He had one in his Pokémon deck of cards, or, more accurately, in his father's deck.
Since Robinson traded his card for Tagseth's match-worn jersey, he's become somewhat of a local celebrity among his friends.
'I really do feel like I'm a little bit famous,' Robinson said, 'Like most of Nashville.'
Since trading that Pokémon card with Tagseth, Robinson following up by creating a life-size Pokémon card of the player, which the player also signed. While the Robinson family will be at Ted's soccer tournament the next time Nashville returns to Geodis Park, they plan to be there for Nashville's game against Chicago on April 26.
He plans to show up with his Tagseth's jersey, which he will eventually frame in his bedroom. When he sees Eddi, he will ask another question: Who should he trade a Pokémon card with next?