Thirteen minutes. That’s all it took for Leonardo Bertone to endear himself to the Orange-and-Blue faithful with a net-rippling volley for the history books.

A ? of a volley!! Leonardo Bertone with the first goal in #FCCincy @MLS history!!!#SEAvCIN #IgniteUnite pic.twitter.com/NOczJXo6pf

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) March 3, 2019

The club announced on Dec. 18 they had acquired the midfielder from Swiss outfit BSC Young Boys using Targeted Allocation Money. Head coach Alan Koch made the trip across the pond to see in person what he could be gaining, an act that went a long way in persuading Bertone to join Major League Soccer’s newest club.

“I’m really, really excited. From the first moment when I heard about this project, I had a good feeling and said ‘I want to do this,’” Bertone said in a team press release. “For me, it was really important that I saw [FC Cincinnati coach Alan Koch] in Switzerland, that’s a sign that he wanted me. It was the first time that a coach came to Switzerland for me.”

Born in the small Swiss town of Wohlen bei Bern, Bertone developed in the Young Boys youth academy before making his first team debut at just 17 years of age. Fast forward to the fall of 2018 and he found himself suiting up against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Italian powerhouse Juventus in the UEFA Champions League.

With 179 domestic appearances and 31 in European competition, the experience Bertone brings will be a huge asset as a long season filled with thousands of travel miles begins to take its toll. Teammates will be boosted by the fact that he knows what it says to secure silverware, as he played a pivotal role in Young Boys capturing their first title in 32 years in 2017-18.

Through five games in his club’s maiden MLS voyage the 25-year-old is making his presence felt in the heart of midfield. He currently leads the team in average interceptions (2.8), tackles (2.6), and passes (48.2), demonstrating an adept reading of the game and ability to provide ample cover in front of the back line. 

Koch began the season with a couple of tactical tweaks, fielding a 4-2-3-1 formation in the opener, followed by a 4-4-2 that worked well to stifle Atlanta United. In the three matches since he has preferred a 4-2-2-2, but through the changes the central midfield pairing of Bertone and Victor Ulloa has been a constant.

Bertone’s importance may not always show up on the stat sheet, but a closer look at his performance against Portland in the home opener gives a glimpse of how crucial him getting on the ball is for his side to find a rhythm and string together passes. His 54 passes were level with his partner in crime Ulloa for most on the team, and his 68 touches helped Cincinnati dominate the right side of the field.

We’ve learned that Cincinnati are not a possession-oriented team, but Bertone’s play helped them achieve their best rate of ball retention at 49 percent against the Timbers. To cap things off, he played a role in yet another historic goal by serving up a delicious ball to find Kendall Waston for the club’s first at home. 

Bertone to Waston to put #FCCincy ahead!#CINvPOR | 1-0 pic.twitter.com/a26B8np5Vv

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) March 17, 2019

The Swiss midfielder has taken no time to settle into life in Ohio. He will likely have a big say in how far this team can go in 2019.