FC Cincinnati has announced the acquisition of Zimbabwean center back Teenage Hadebe through the 2025 MLS season with an option for 2026. To facilitate the move, FCC had to trade conditional $50,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) and its 2025 first-round MLS SuperDraft pick in exchange for Hadebe’s Right of First Refusal.
According to Laurel Pfahler, Hadebe will not join FCC until after Zimbabwe’s AFCON qualifiers, and also still needs his visa.
Hadebe last played for Turkish Süper Lig club Konyaspor, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, making him a free agent.
“We’d like to welcome Teenage and his family to Cincinnati,” General Manager Chris Albright said. “His MLS and international experience, as well as his skillset and defensive quality, will make him a strong addition to our group. We are excited to have him join the club.”
Hadebe, 28, made 11 appearances with Konyaspor during his time with the club in the 2023/24 season, having signed with the team on Feb. 9, 2024.
“I’m so happy to join FC Cincinnati,” Hadebe said. “I’m excited to join up with the team and meet the fans at TQL stadium soon. I look forward to giving my all to fight for this club as we look to achieve our goals this season.”
Some might remember him because he was previously a Designated Player with the Houston Dynamo. He signed with the Texas side for the 2021 season and appeared in 17 matches, assisting once in those games, before suffering an ankle injury. He was named the Dynamo’s Defender of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. However, he was also part of a Dynamo side that placed last in the Western Conference.
Hadebe returned to the Dynamo the following year, making 22 appearances and scoring two goals for them, one of those being a goal in the 11th minute of stoppage time to salvage a point against FC Dallas. During the 2023 season, Hadebe only appeared in 12 regular season matches for the Dynamo, scoring once.
Hadebe has also played significant time for his national team Zimbabwe. He has 32 caps and scored four goals in those games, having made his national team debut on Nov. 16, 2014.
According to Bayou City Soccer, a website that writes about the Houston Dynamo, Hadebe is a “Real solid defender. Left-footed, good on the ball … He got hurt and Micael burst onto the scene, so the Dynamo were able to move on from his DP tag but Cincy is getting a good one.”
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