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The holiday season is always a great time for people to relax, spend time with family and friends, celebrate, and so much more. The same goes for New York City FC players, who are hopefully enjoying their earned vacation. Nobody thought they would make the Eastern Conference Finals in Pascal Jansen's first season as the head coach. Yet, they did.
Meanwhile, the focus is turning to 2026. The Pigeons brought back Andrés Perea on a new contract and signed two Homegrown players. There is still plenty to do, and likely the team will become busier in January once Sporting Director Todd Dunivant officially begins his new job.
With the holiday season in full swing, it is a great time to make some holiday wishes. Fans can make wishes for NYCFC and hope that they come true. In complete honesty, there might be some wishes that are desperately needed, and probably should be made upon a star.
So, here are some holiday wishes for NYCFC.
2025 holiday wishes for NYCFC
1. The first wish is pretty obvious, and it is for the club to bring back Justin Haak. The midfielder-turned-defender had a fantastic 2025 season and put his name on the map in Major League Soccer. His versatility in playing as a center-back and defensive midfielder makes him very attractive, and many teams are trying to sign him. Sadly, it appears NYCFC will not bring him back since contract talks broke down. Hence, this wish might not come true.
2. Another wish is to sweep the Hudson River Derby in 2026. This is not limited to the regular season, so if the Pigeons find themselves facing the team in another tournament or the postseason, then it would be great to win those as well.
3. One cannot forget about Alonso Martínez and his ACL injury. The Costa Rican's time frame for his return is not known, but one should expect him to come back no earlier than after the World Cup. Nevertheless, NYCFC does not have an established striker on the roster. That is why the third wish is for NYCFC to sign a striker.
4. This brings up the fourth wish, which is for the Boys in Blue to sell Jovan Mijatović. Sadly, the Serbian never worked out, which is why he has been out on loan. While the team will suffer a loss, funds raised by the sale can aid in signing a new striker.
5. Another wish is for NYCFC to end 2026 competing for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The end of the season, and losing some home matches that should have ended in wins, led to the fifth-place finish in 2025. The Pigeons should aim to finish higher. After all, the players showed they could beat or tie some of the top teams, so it would make sense for them to continue to compete, but be even better.
6. The last wish is for Maxi Moralez to return for one more year. Retirement might be on his mind, but he can still play at a high level. The Argentine remains vital to NYCFC, and fans love him. 2026 could be his final year, and the club can work on finding another player or properly developing one of the Homegrown players to take his spot.