Hongkonger set for first taste of Major League Soccer after swapping Europe for US
Football analyst Matthew Mak embarking on new campaign with Columbus Crew two months afterend of decorated spell with Malmo in Sweden
After the sacking of Henrik Rydstrom from Malmo left Matthew Mak Pak-hei “feeling guilty but needing to step up and grow as a person”, the pioneering Hongkonger is reunited with the Swedish head coach and plotting to return Columbus Crew to the summit of Major League Soccer.
Rydstrom was appointed as successor to Wilfried Nancy, who left American club Columbus for an ill-starred spell as Celtic manager, on New Year’s Eve, three months after losing his job with Malmo.
After his boss’ exit, first-team analyst Mak was retained by the Swedish club for the rest of the 2025 season. “When the coach is fired and you’re still there, you feel bad,” he said.
“I’m part of [choosing] the starting line-up, opposition analysis and game development; you look at yourself and think, ‘maybe I didn’t do something well enough; maybe I should be gone, too’.”
Still only 26, Mak said his closing months with Malmo, where he helped Rydstrom win two league titles and one domestic cup, were “not easy personally, but professional life had to go on”.
“When Henrik was there, I could always be under his umbrella and feel safe,” Mak said.