MAULDIN — At the site of the future home of Greenville professional soccer, people waved banners and sat on each other’s shoulders as they stretched to snag a glimpse of the man one person called, “El mejor!” — Spanish for “the best.”
That man, Brazilian soccer icon Ronaldinho, joined the club’s ownership group, Greenville Pro Soccer, in October 2024.
His presence drew scores of passionate fans sporting his jerseys to Bridgeway Station March 12. The site will feature a $100 million multipurpose sports complex that will serve as the home of the Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty — which are the men's and women's teams, respectively.
Boosters for the club said the partnership with Grupo Ronaldinho is evidence that the club is on an upward trajectory.
Wallace Cheves, an Upstate-based developer and member of the team’s ownership through Grupo Ronaldinho, made the partnership happen.
“I got to live in Brazil, and I got to see firsthand how many people enjoyed watching the magic that Ronaldinho created on the field,” Cheves said. “Little did I know, way back then as I’m watching a guy like that and thinking, ‘What could we ever do to bring a guy like that, a superstar, to Greenville, South Carolina?’ And here he is today.”
With the Mauldin stadium set to start construction soon and with Atlanta set as one of the major host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, energy for soccer in the region is building, the ownership group said.
Since 2018, the Triumph men’s team has played at “other people’s homes,” said Joe Erwin, chairman and lead owner of Greenville Triumph. The team has since expanded into a full-blown club, with the Liberty a pre-professional women’s team, plus an all-star team and a youth academy.
Now the club will have its own home.
“We’re going to put Mauldin, SC, on the map in ways that have never been seen before,” Erwin said.
The stadium isn’t just another construction project, said Mauldin Mayor Terry Merritt. It’s a place to build community and create memories.
Mauldin doesn’t have a traditional downtown strip, Merritt said. So the City Council has been working to create more amenities for residents through restaurants and shops.
“This stadium is one key element in delivering on that promise,” Merritt said. “It’s an investment in our community’s future.”
Back when he signed onto the club, Ronaldinho said he was drawn in part because of the emphasis on youth academy teams.
“For me and our group, this is an opportunity to support soccer’s growth at all ages and levels, and to be part of a community that values international presence and a unique blend of cultures,” he said in a statement from October.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Juan Ma Robles, president of Grupo Ronaldinho, spoke in Spanish, thanking the Latino community for their support.
“This project is from you all, is for you all,” he said in Spanish.
Later, the team held a small media-only event at its store on Main Street in downtown Greenville. Although the event was specifically for the media, a few fans waited outside the store. As Ronaldinho left the store and walked back to his van, the fans screamed and cheered and asked him for autographs. He greeted fans and signed one man’s FC Barcelona jersey before hopping in the van.
Outside the store, Robles spoke with The Post and Courier. Their group was attracted to Greenville in part because of the passion of soccer fans in the area.
“Why not Greenville? It’s a beautiful city,” Robles said. “Greenville is going to be on the map soon.”