Soccer
The Timo Werner era has begun in San Jose.
Just three days after arriving stateside, the former UEFA Champions League winner wasted no time introducing himself at PayPal Park on Saturday.
Coming off the bench in the 61st minute for his MLS debut, it took Werner less than 20 minutes to bag his first Quakes assist and secure a 2-0 victory over Atlanta United.
“I think everybody can see that the people were very excited to see me play,” Werner said after the match. “And that makes me pretty confident to especially say that was absolutely the right decision to come here.
“Helping the team with this assist today was also giving something back to the fans, the people here who helped me now in the first few days. It’s only a good sign for the next games when you have a welcome like this, and also for the rest of the season.”
— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) March 1, 2026
Immediate impact
Entering the match in place of opening goalscorer Preston Judd, Werner quickly added dynamism and fluidity to San Jose’s attack.
Within minutes, he broke down the right wing to double the Quakes’ advantage by putting a pinpoint grass-cutting cross on a platter for Ousseni Bouda to tap home.
“It’s funny because in halftime, I went especially to Bouda, because I knew he’s quick as well and probably when I’m through on the wing or somewhere else, I had him as my first option to pass the ball,” Werner explained. “I said he should go straight to goal. It doesn’t matter what is happening, he shouldn’t stop because I bring the ball on the first post, in the middle of the goal.
“Sometimes it happens, sometimes not, but this time it worked out pretty well.”
The 79th-minute helper notched a second consecutive shutout win at home to start the season for San Jose, putting them nearly halfway to last season’s total of five home victories.
For Werner, who played more minutes on Saturday night than he did during the entirety of last season with RB Leipzig, the match was the cherry on top of his emotional transition.
“It was a really exciting week, especially with the game tonight, with the welcome from the fans, from the people in the club, from all the people around the club,” shared Werner.
“It was a special feeling because I think I had for the last few weeks or months, didn’t get the love [that] I had in the past years. All the people here, they gave me that, and it felt pretty good.”
Just the beginning
Of course, it will take time for the former Leipzig, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur star to be fit enough to play a full 90 minutes for the Quakes.
Still, his teammates are already waiting in anticipation.
“With a player like him – dynamic, fast, championship mindset – I think it’s only going to add to my game and the whole team in general,” said Judd.
“I think it’s going to be exciting with what he can do.”
And once it clicks, everyone in San Jose expects the good vibes to flow.
“I want to enjoy the football with the guys,” said Werner. “I want to win something with the guys and I think everybody could see in the last two games that we’re able to.
“I think in the moment, the first thing we want to do is to reach the playoffs and that’s my aim as well. How many goals I score, how many assists I do, I think that’s on another page, but the most important thing is that we are successful with the team.”
Read MoreSamatha Fleishman