The footballing world is in mourning this weekend after the tragic news of Grant Wahl’s death emerged.
The American journalist was truly one of the most well-respected and pioneering reporters of his generation.
Simply put, Wahl was US soccer throughout the 2000s. During a time where next to nobody in the United States was bothering with ‘soccer’, his stories regularly made the front, and back, pages of well-respected magazines and newspapers.
It’s truly impossible to understate the impact Wahl had on growing American soccer, and tributes have been pouring in after his death.
One man who knew Wahl very well was Leeds United boss, Jesse Marsch. As one of the most high-profile American figures of the past 20 years, Marsch had garnered a great relationship with Wahl, and he posted a touching tribute on Twitter on Saturday morning.
This tribute is the mark of the man Wahl was.
Not only was he one of the best reporters of this century, he was also an incredibly close friend to many within the sport, and his impact has been felt far and wide.
The Leeds squad, in particular, will know all about Wahl and his impact.
Marsch, Tyler Adams and Brendan Aaronson will all be well aware of what the journalist did for the sport in their country, while Wahl was also one of the early champions of Jack Harrison when he was nothing more than a budding prodigy at NYCFC.
To say that some of these players owe a part of their success to Wahl would be fair. He’s given them all a platform and has helped raised their profiles when they were just coming through.
In the new-media era, there may never be a journalist like Wahl again who was arguably the single-most respected reporter in a country where media coverage on every single subject is widespread.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
