Move over, MLS Cup. The biggest trophy in North American soccer these days may just be the gun-slinging, cowboy hat-wearing Armadillo that was handed to the winning team from the ATX Pro Challenge.
D.C. United took home the prize with a 1-0 win over FC Dallas on Sunday to claim first place from the four-team preseason tournament in Austin, Texas.
And the story behind the trophy is very, well, Texas.
"We like to do things differently here," Jeff Burns, director of marketing of the tournament host Austin Aztex, told ESPN FC. "Austin is known for being weird, and we wanted to show that and give fans an idea of what Austin is about and how we stand out."
Armadillos are prolific 'round those parts, so it was a no-brainer. And when they found one with a six-shooter and 10-gallon hat, Burns said it sealed the deal.
D.C. United players were, understandably, thrilled to lift such unique “silverware.”
“I have a big fantasy football trophy in my house of a fat guy sitting on the couch with slippers on, a beer in one hand and the remote in the other. It’s called the John,” defender Bobby Boswell told the Washington Post. “The armadillo puts it to shame. Fans want to hold it. Kids want to touch it. Maybe they should think about making the Stanley Cup, maybe the World Cup, an armadillo.”
Is the ATX Pro Challenge trophy the best in soccer? In all of American sports? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
