Cleveland Crunch International Spotlight: Tamas Nagy

The cultural melting pot that Cleveland is renowned for also translates into its professional sports teams. A good example is the Cleveland Crunch, Cleveland's professional indoor soccer team, which welcomes players from several countries.

One is rookie Tamas Nagy, who was born in Szar, Hungary, about 50 kilometers west of the country’s capital, Budapest. 

For Nagy, the beautiful game has always been a major part of his life.

As he climbed the ranks of Hungary’s footballing totem pole, incorporating a proper training schedule with schooling and studies was difficult, he said. 

“I was training with professional teams in the mornings and was focusing less on school," he said. "After seeing a professional environment, I decided that I wanted to get my degree."

Before coming to this revelation, the idea of life in the United States was completely foreign to Nagy.

“I never even thought I would come to the United States to even visit," he said, adding that he is the first of his family members to even visit the U.S. 

He decided to begin scouting player agencies in the U.S. 

After receiving numerous offers, Nagy decided to attend Roberts Wesleyan University, a Division II institution in Rochester, New York. He cited head coach Scott Reber as one of his biggest reasons for signing there.

“It is important for me that I play for a coach that I enjoy working with…it brings out the best in me," he said.

He reflects on the challenges he faced when he first arrived in the U.S.

“When I first got there, I could not speak the language, so I had to walk around campus with Google Translate on my phone," Nagy said. "My first two weeks in the country were a mandatory quarantine since I was coming from out of the country…but during the day, my coach would talk to me from out of the window a few floors below me. Roberts Wesleyan was an amazing place. It’s a small school, and the people are so supportive.”

In his career at Roberts Wesleyan, he tallied 43 goals and 29 assists across 78 total appearances. He also earned a second-team All-American shout.

In the summers, he had played for the likes of Flower City Union, Roc City, and got some indoor experience with the Rochester Lancers, another iconic indoor soccer franchise across the country.

This past Summer, Nagy’s environment changed, where he ended up in Cleveland for his time off. 

“I originally wanted to head back home for the summer and rest, but I was encouraged by my girlfriend to stay,” he said. 

After some searching, he ended up finding Cleveland SC, where he became a crucial piece of the team's attacking force. 

It didn’t take him long to get involved with the Cleveland Crunch, where he has thrived in his first appearances in his rookie season.

“Playing with the Crunch has been an amazing experience…it is very family-oriented,” he emphasized.“We have so many people coming out, and it shows how excited people are for this. I really like the atmosphere, it is so fun to play in front of so many people.”

So far in his rookie year with the Crunch, Nagy has recorded four goals and one assist across five matches.

He recently signed with the Lorain County Leviathan FC in the United Soccer League 2 to play in the 2026 summer season. 

You can catch the Crunch at the Wolstein Center on Feb. 21, March 14, and 15 to see players like Nagy. Get your tickets now at theclevelandcrunch.com/tickets.