The strange saga of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s final season at Red Bull New York will end without fanfare.
Choupo-Moting will not receive an emotional send-off where he plays in front of supporters for a final time at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday.
Instead, Red Bull New York head coach Michael Bradley confirmed that the 37-year-old forward will not be part of the matchday squad for Saturday’s postseason friendly against Club América.
Bradley: Choupo-Moting ‘Will Not Feature’ Against Club América
“Choupo will not feature in this game,” Bradley stated during Friday’s press conference at RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center in Morris Township, N.J.
Bradley pointed to what appears to be minor injuries as the reason for Choupo-Moting not being named to the squad for the final two regular season matches against Nashville SC and Atlanta United. Choupo-Moting was an unused substitute one match prior against the New England Revolution on October 28.
“He was battling some different things towards the end of the season,” Bradley explained. “Nothing major in terms of injury, but just some little things that were keeping him from being on the field every day. Given that the official part of the season is over, he will not play.”
Following last Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Atlanta United that closed the book on the 2026 regular season, Choupo-Moting walked over to the South Ward supporters section to address fans. He thanked fans for their support while confirming that he would not return next season.
Bradley said he had no problem with the interaction.
“After the game, he wants to have a moment with the supporters,” Bradley said. “That is absolutely his right. In my mind, there is absolutely nothing to make of that.”
Bradley Opens Up About ‘Man-to-Man’ Conversations With Choupo-Moting
South Ward Central asked Bradley to clarify whether he and Choupo-Moting had disagreements throughout the season.
Bradley admitted that he and Choupo-Moting engaged in several conversations about his role in the team and that the discussions were handled professionally, though he acknowledged that the veteran striker was disappointed with his lack of playing time.
“Choupo was a true professional in every moment throughout the year,” Bradley said. “I don’t want to speak for him, but I know that he was disappointed along the way that things didn’t play out in the way that he would have hoped. We had a lot of conversations as the year went on.”
Bradley Opens Up About Frank Discussions With Choupo-Moting
Even though Bradley and Choupo-Moting clearly did not see eye-to-eye over his role in the team, their discussions were frank and respectful.
“We were always able to close the door in a man-to-man way, look at each other in the eye, and talk about things,” Bradley said. “He listened to me, and I listened to him. It wasn’t that in every moment I was telling him something that he was happy to hear and in moments that he was open about expressing his opinion.”
“It was exactly how things should be inside a team. When you work together with people, you challenge everybody to give everything that they have to the group. To go all in, to be ready to push themselves every single day to try to improve and move themselves along individually, but to do it with the understanding that they’re a part of something bigger. That ultimately, the team is the most important thing and that the team and the spirit and the mentality and the culture, that those are the most important things.
“So Choupo’s commitment and the role that he played in our team this year, even when he didn’t factor into as many games or get as many minutes as he would have hoped, he still played a big role in who we were and what we were doing every day, and I have huge appreciation for that.”
Choupo-Moting Finishes Red Bull New York Career With 22 MLS Goals
Choupo-Moting was not present during Friday’s training session. He finished his Red Bull New York career with 22 goals in 55 MLS matches.
Red Bull New York will close out the 2026 campaign with a postseason friendly against Club América at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Saturday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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