Justin Meram owes a lot to Columbus, which makes RSL's trip to Ohio this weekend special
Justin Meram owes a lot to Columbus, which makes RSL's trip to Ohio this weekend special
The 34-year-old winger will make his first return to a place that holds a special place in his heart since he was with Atlanta United in 2019.
A lot of what Justin Meram learned as a top leader with Real Salt Lake can be traced back to his days playing for the Columbus Crew.
Meram, 34, was something of a talisman for the Crew during a lengthy career from 2011-17, scoring 37 goals in 188 caps. It’s the most appearances he’s made in his career, one that began as the No. 15 overall MLS SuperDraft pick back in 2011 that has evolved into something of a journeyman lifestyle, one that took the Michigan native to Orlando, Atlanta and Salt Lake City, with a brief stop back in Columbus for 18 games from 2018-19.
He’s also squarely dug in with Real Salt Lake, a club he’s called home since 2020. Meram and the club agreed to an extension through the end of the 2023 season, keeping his family on the Wasatch Front through his 35th birthday.
And while Meram likes to say that age is just a number — who are we to argue? — he also admits that time waits for no one as the recently retired Iraqi international who called time on an international career less than two years ago acknowledges a professional mortality.
That makes going back to Columbus, where RSL is visiting for the first time since June 2018, a little extra special (5:30 p.m. MDT, Apple TV). Meram doesn’t know how many more of those chances to go back to Ohio that he’ll do; none of us do, in literal and metaphysical ways.
Enjoy it.
“For me, Columbus is always going to be special in every which way. They grew me, they signed me to three different deals in my career, they brought me back when I was in Orland and kept my career alive,” he said. “I’m very thankful, and have so much love for the city, the people, and the ownership. Dr. Pete Edwards (who helped save the Crew, along with the Haslam family, for $150 million a few years ago) is a good friend, as well.
“So many friends and people I grew with. I’m excited to go back for the first time to a new stadium and the first time in a league game.”
Meram’s also helping RSL pull out of a funk, a three-game losing skid that has the fanbase shattered while flailing a bit online.
Ever the optimist, Meram knows where these streaks end up, too.
“It sucks right now, but it’s not going to last,” he said. “That’s just part of it. It’s always a roller coaster season, and if we look at last year, how well we started and then we had like an eight-game run where we didn’t win a game; it happens. It’s part of growing pains, with new players, losing older players.
“We’ve got to find our way. That’s really what it comes down to, finding the right personnel on the field to get it done.”
Real Salt Lake (1-3, 3 points) vs. Columbus Crew SC (2-2-1, 7 points)
Saturday, April 1
Lower.com Field, Columbus, OH
Kickoff: 5:39 p.m. MDT
Streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV