Lyam MacKinnon (25), once trained alongside world-class players at Lausanne-Sport, has now matured into a wonder weapon in the USA's third-highest league. Who is this Swiss player, still unknown in this country, who may soon conquer the Super League?
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- The 25-year-old Swiss player Lyam MacKinnon is a professional in the USA and is aiming for the stars with Greenville. His team is a title contender and he himself is currently the league's top scorer.
- He was trained at Lausanne-Sport, where he trained with top players such as Dan Ndoye, Cameron Puertas and many other well-known professionals in this country.
- In 2019, he moved to the USA and completed a degree in economics and political science alongside playing football. He has been a full professional since December 2022.
- His contract expires in November. After that, he could well imagine returning to Switzerland. It is important to him that he can make a difference at the club and not just be in the squad.
May we introduce: Lyam MacKinnon, 25 years young, 1.85 meters tall, winger and goal machine in person. Between 2017 and 2019, he played for Lausanne-Sport (U18 and U21) alongside players such as Dan Ndoye (Bologna/16 caps), Andi Zeqiri (Standard Liège/11 caps), former U21 international Gabriel Barès (Montepellier), Isaac Schmidt (Leeds United) and Cameron Puertas (Al-Qadsiah), who is still waiting for his Swiss passport. He is still in contact with many of them on a more or less regular basis.
On September 25, we arrange to meet for a video call and MacKinnon shows up on time like a Swiss clockwork at 8 p.m. Swiss time. And on his 25th birthday no less. He won't be celebrating in a big way because, after all, there are important weeks ahead, so he has plenty of time for an interview.
He wants to win the title with Greenville in the USA's professional 3rd division - and preferably also the scoring crown. After 18 rounds, he leads the scoring charts together with center forward Juan Carlos Obregón. In contrast to the 26-year-old Honduran international, MacKinnon also shines as an assist man. He has already contributed six assists this season.
Lyam MacKinnon goes on title hunt with Greenville
MacKinnon has been used everywhere apart from in goal and as a right-back, but he feels most comfortable on the wing, preferably on the left. "That's where I feel really comfortable. I can show off my skills from that position." These include his "speed, one-on-one play and finishing goals." The likeable Lausanne player, who is an absolute team player and wears the captain's armband for a reason, laughs at the remark that these are a whole host of qualities.
«When I score goals, it means that I can help the team win.»
Top scorer in the USL League One
This also becomes clear when he talks about what it would mean to him to win the top scorer's crown. "That would be great. I've worked a lot in recent years to become more efficient and have more influence on the game, be it through assists or goals. Of course, a lot of people pay attention to the league table, but if I score goals, it means I can help the team win." Like on September 15, for example, when he outshone all the players in the league with three goals and an assist in the 5-2 away win against Red Wolves and was named Player of the Week.
And that is exactly his big goal, to help win games and lift a trophy at the end. "That would be great, I really want to achieve that this year." Last season, his first for Greenville, he helped his team qualify for the playoffs with seven goals and four assists (he played in 28 of 32 games). There, however, it was over after just one game, with the quarter-finals being the last stop. Greenville is one of the most successful clubs in the closed league, as is usual in the USA. Greenville last became champions in 2020 and runners-up in 2019 and 2021.
«Everyone at the club has the goal of winning the title at the end of the year.»
"What I really want is to contribute to the history of the club, that would be great for me. Everyone at the club has the goal of winning the title at the end of the year." After 18 of 33 rounds, Greenville is fourth in the table and on course for the playoffs, for which the top eight teams in the 12-team league qualify. In the playoffs, 1st meets 8th, 2nd meets 7th and so on. The four best teams enjoy home court, which is why the ranking is more important. However, home games are one of those things.
When watching highlight clips of Greenville's home games, it's easy to lose track of the field markings. When asked about this, he has to laugh and says: "But it's even worse for playing. It's terrible and I still haven't really got used to it. I still have problems playing on this pitch."
Most of the stadiums in the league are really nice, though, and something is happening in Greenville, too, where a new stadium is to be built. But until that is built, they will have to make do with the football stadium. This is the only way to ensure that there is enough space for the 2,000 to 3,000 spectators on average, who have to pay between 15 and 70 dollars for a ticket.
MacKinnon's career and goals
MacKinnon, who grew up in Lausanne with a little sister (9) and a brother (11), played for Lausanne-Sport as a junior player and attended university, when one day he was contacted by an agency that placed players in the USA. One of his teammates had already taken this step. At first he wasn't really interested, but then he decided to take the risk.
Because he didn't feel that he would get a chance in the first team at Lausanne-Sport. "I don't think I was ready at that point. Maybe I would have made the jump into the team, but at best as a supplementary player with little prospect of match practice. So I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to see another country, to be on my own and to grow as a person."
He first played at Villanova University in the US state of Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. He played soccer for three and a half years and studied economics and political science on the side. A steep pass for the question: Harris or Trump? "Oh man, I'm glad I don't have to choose," he says and laughs.
Be that as it may, in December 2022 he was done with everything and was transferred to Nashville. "That was the start of my professional career." After one season, he transferred to Greenville, located in South Carolina, in March 2023. There, where he is now scoring goals by the meter in his first season and striving for the title. However, his contract expires at the end of November. Greenville would certainly like to extend the captain and top goalscorer's contract, and other clubs are certainly putting out feelers.
MacKinnon talks about his future plans
But what is his plan? Would a return to Switzerland also be an option? "Yes, definitely. I would love to come back if a suitable offer comes along." His goal is always to play at the highest possible level. "When I say play, I mean really play, so be involved. To be able to help a team at the highest level as best I can."
And, of course, he sometimes misses home. The landscape, the lakes, the whole environment and of course the bread, just like all Swiss abroad do. And he would also like a life with less air conditioning, he says with a mischievous smile on his face, which the 25-year-old always flashes.
However, now is not exactly the transfer period, "but perhaps my advisor and I will hold talks in the near future". His favorite club is Liverpool, as you can easily guess if you visit his Instagram account. The first picture is pinned and shows him in a Liverpool shirt. As a child, he always dreamed of playing for the Reds. "I love the club and the passion that surrounds it. In good times and bad."
Realistically, he will not be signed by Liverpool as a Greenville player. But the examples of some of his former teammates show that he can still achieve a lot. Dan Ndoye and Andi Zeqiri already have several international caps under their belts, Cameron Puertas probably has a good chance of making his debut for the national team in 2025, Gabriel Barès plays in Ligue 1 for Montpellier and Isaac Schmidt recently moved to Leeds United, a promotion contender in England's second-highest league.
MacKinnnon also mentions Josias Lukembila by name. The 25-year-old has a contract with Paris FC, but is currently on loan at Winterthur. "I grew up with him and played with him from 7 to 19. He's one of my best friends," says MacKinnon.
In the juniors, it wasn't necessarily clear who would go the furthest. They all competed with each other, sometimes one was better, sometimes another. "So we pulled each other up. I think that's the reason why so many players from the U21 team at the time are playing at a high level."
«I think Puertas inspired us all. When we were all still playing in the U18s, he was already playing in the U21s and then made the leap to the first team.»
... his former teammate Cameron Puertas
And then he singles out one player in particular: Cameron Puertas. "I think he inspired us all. When we were all still playing in the U18s, he was already playing in the U21s and made it into the first team in 2018." He still remembers how he always just thought: "Wow!" Puertas was so hungry to make it to the top. "I also think that helped a lot of us. Maybe we didn't really realize it at the time, but now I see how good he's become."
Puertas is under the watchful eye of national team coach Murat Yakin, although he will not become an issue in the national team until 2025. Although Puertas was born in Lausanne, he currently only has a Spanish passport. Although he has applied for Swiss citizenship, he still has to wait because he once got behind the wheel a day too early after a driving ban and was promptly flashed. The Swiss Football Association (SFA) tried in vain to speed up the naturalization process before the European Championship in order to have Europe's assist king in its ranks. The 26-year-old excelled for the Belgian runners-up last season with 14 goals and 23 assists.
In the summer, Puertas finally moved to the Saudi Pro League, where he signed a contract with Al-Qadsiah until the summer of 2027. There he plays alongside top-class players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and six-time Champions League winner Nacho Fernández, who also became European champion with Spain in the summer.
Winterthur could really do with a goalscorer
And MacKinnon, could he also imagine a move to the Saudi Pro League, despite repeated criticism of the human rights situation in the Gulf state? "It's definitely not an option for me at the moment." He is therefore also glad that he doesn't have to ask himself this question. "But you never know what the future holds."
As already mentioned, he would not be averse to a move to Switzerland. "There are a lot of really nice stadiums and great fans in German-speaking Switzerland in particular." He has seen Isaac Schmidt's games, who played a big part in St.Gallen making it into the Conference League with his goal, only to sign a contract with Leeds United the next day. "The fans there are incredible," he enthuses. However, FCSG have scored the most goals so far this season and therefore have less need to strengthen their attack.
«There is no club in Switzerland that I would say I would never play for.»
At Winterhur, where one of his best friends, Lukembila, is currently playing, the situation would be completely different. Winti have only scored four goals in the first seven rounds, which is one of the reasons why they are bottom of the league. Someone like Lyam MacKinnon would come in handy. A man in top form who wouldn't need a long time to settle in, as he knows the country and its people.
However, he would still have to prove that he can be an asset at this level. But he would certainly have the confidence to do so. He would definitely listen to a possible offer: "There is no club in Switzerland that I would say I would never play for." Perhaps Lyam MacKinnon really will soon be conquering the Super League.
