Agustín Anello took the long way back to the United States, then found familiar faces with the Union

Though Agustín Anello has lived more than half his life outside the United States, the Florida native still feels American in his heart.

So when the Union called with an offer, he was interested. Even better, he had two friends already on the team in Nathan Harriel and Bruno Damiani. From there, Anello did his homework, and decided it was time to come home.

“The guys have really made it feel like home, so that’s quite nice,” Anello told The Inquirer. “You know how things work when a lot of things come together, and yeah, the feeling of coming back to my country to play was also a big factor. So I feel a lot of things came together for for this to to be possible.”

He knew of the Union’s track record, including last year’s Supporters’ Shield, and of the particular style they play. That intrigued him too.

“Philly reached out, and obviously the great season they had the year before, the way they train, the work ethic — they’re all factors that obviously push [and were] important factors, at least, for me to come,” Anello said. “I think it’s a style of play that fits my game style. There’s a lot of transitions, a lot of importance inside the attacking area, a lot of pressing, a lot of passion.”

Anello sees himself being able to fit in one of the striker spots, obviously, but also in one of the attacking midfield spots. Union manager Bradley Carnell has the same idea.

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“He’s got a good technique with dribbling, so he can be off the shoulder of the outside back dribbling in a one-v-one,” Carnell said. “He can pick up in the pocket too, [which is] how we like to play as well with interior 10s [attacking midfielders]. So he shows a lot of flexibility within our game model.”

Anello was born in the Miami suburb of Hialeah to Argentine parents and grew up in Cape Coral, on the west side of south Florida near Fort Myers. He moved with his family to Barcelona, Spain, at age 10 on account of his father’s work, and didn’t set foot in the U.S. again until the summer of 2022.

“I got to live what my parents lived, what my dad and uncles lived when they were little, playing in the streets with their friends,” he said. “That was a very big thing in my childhood. … I feel full American and full Argentinian at the same time, so, yeah, I think I have that blood running in me.”

Anello rose through the youth ranks of Belgian club Lommel, and turned pro there in 2021. In early 2023, he made the first of what would become four moves around Europe over the next 14 months.

» READ MORE: An analysis of the Union’s roster at the start of the season, with new players in the mix

He did well enough along the way to attract U.S. Soccer’s attention, and earn an invitation to an under-23 team camp in November of 2023 that surveyed candidates for the 2024 Olympic team. His teammates there included Nathan Harriel and now-former Union teammate Jack McGlynn.

That wasn’t when the seed for a move to MLS was planted, but it’s also a moment that both Anello and Harriel remember well.

“It was a long time ago but at the same time, at the camp, he was a great guy,” Harriel said, noting that Carnell sought out him and Damiani when Anello’s name came on the radar. “He’ll be great for the locker room. He fits in really well, hard worker, creative, he’s a good dribbler.”

In August of 2024, Anello crossed the Atlantic to join Uruguayan club Boston River. His new teammates included Union prospect José Riasco, who was on loan there, and future Union striker Bruno Damiani. Anello and Damiani became good friends, and that also ended up coming in handy down the road.

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“I talked with Bruno mostly,” Anello said, at times when Damiani came home to Uruguay during MLS’s breaks. “He told me good things about the club, how the boys were, the facilities, the training ethic. And yeah, those things obviously areadding-up factors to take this step.”

(Damiani was away getting his green card when this piece was reported, so wasn’t available for comment.)

Anello had also observed the growth of MLS, and American soccer as a whole, from the quality of play to stadiums and training facilities. It also does not hurt to come home in a year when the biggest World Cup in history will be here.

“It’s exciting, to be honest, just seeing the league grow, the World Cup coming up,” he said. “I think there’s going to be a lot more eyes. So, yeah, me and my agents, my family, thought it was the best time to come.”

» READ MORE: Andre Blake begins his 13th season with the Union, still waiting for fate to finally smile on him

He hasn’t had too much time to train with his new club, since he only joined the squad this month. When Anello started the preseason finale against CF Montréal, he had only been in one full practice session with his teammates.

But he fit in well enough to play the first half, and delivered a sharp assist to Milan Iloski for the Union’s second goal of the game. The buildup was good, too: Ezekiel Alladoh made a strong run up the middle with the ball, Anello ran down the left side to get in position, and Alladoh put the pass on a plate.

“It’s good to take a step at a time,” Anello said. “I just want to get integrated as fast as possible, start getting my qualities out, start to get comfortable with the team, and start making an impact.”

That was sage advice, and he has lived up to it so far.