Diego Fagundez could make MLS history on Saturday

Diego Fagundez is in line to make some history on Saturday, as the midfielder is looking to make his 200th MLS regular season appearance and 150th regular season start against D.C. United.

Fagundez, now 23, became the Revolution’s first-ever Homegrown player in November 2010. He made his debut in April 2011, scoring a goal and drawing a penalty against Chivas USA. By 2013, Fagundez was a regular starter for his local team.

Fagundez has reached a number of benchmarks in the years since. He’s the youngest player in MLS history to make 100 appearances and score 25 goals. He’s also the first Homegrown field player to reach 10,000 regular season minutes.

On Saturday, he could add to that list by becoming the youngest player to amass 200 appearances and the second youngest to collect 150 starts (behind Eddie Gavin). It’s a great accomplishment for one of the league’s most crafty players.

“He’s been doing great things ever since he was a teenager, so the sky is the limit for him, obviously,” Jalil Anibaba told media. “He’s a huge piece for us and he’s been in great form as of late, but to be fair, he’s been in great form the whole season.”

Fagundez has grown a lot since first joining the league. Always a very creative player, Fagundez is now more committed to defensive actions. His understanding of the high press system has created a number of opportunities for the Revs.

More than that, however, Fagundez has grown into a leader within the locker room. He may only be 23 years old, but teammates are sure to listen when he’s talking.

“This is my third season with Diego and he’s kind of matured from one of the kids to even though he’s still young, he’s a veteran presence in the locker room because of how much experience he has,” Matt Turner explained. “He deserves those milestones and I’m sure he’ll double that or triple it.”

The accolades and numbes are great, but Fagundez cares more about helping his team win. So if he takes the field on Saturday, his focus will be on one thing, collecting three points.

“It’s another game for me,” Fagundez said. “I know it’s my 200th, but it’s another game that’s important no matter what number it is. I just have to keep going, keep playing my style, and try to help out the team as much as possible.”