With nine trophies in their history, the Columbus Crew are among the most successful teams in Major League Soccer, but it has been two years since their last trophy, as much of the team has shifted and wasn't involved in their last trophy, a Leagues Cup win in 2024. Now, as they gear up to host the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final on Wednesday against St. Louis City SC (live on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network, 8 p.m. ET), it's a chance to salvage the season, and there are still players there who have experience winning, even in this competition.

During the summer, forward Josef Martinez joined the club after what he described as a tough time with Club Tijuana in Liga MX. While at the moment, it was a move that felt like it should be made leaving CF Montreal, sometimes those moves don't work out, but Martinez is also grateful to be with the Crew currently, where he has been able to get back to full fitness and have a chance to contribute now with the chance to win a trophy.

"We have to recognize that this is an opportunity to turn on the little bit of a struggle season; this is the opportunity to win something," Martinez said. "I have had the opportunity to win one time; I lost one in Miami, and this is my third one. So, it's special when you have a final. I don't remember how many players have the opportunity to play that."

Martinez won the Open Cup with Atlanta United in 2018 while also capturing the Golden Boot, MLS Cup, and MVP awards all in that same season. Things haven't gone as expected recently with the Crew being his fifth team in the past three years but that doesn't mean that the 33-year-old Venezuelan doesn't have something to offer the squad both on and off the pitch as they look to secure their first trophy post-Wilfried Nancy. And no matter what, that's a moment worth looking forward to.

"A final is special, man. It's an opportunity to win something with the club. That is the most important right now," Martinez said, summing up the occasion.

This isn't something that the Crew will need extra motivation for, as when you're playing a sport that you love, the goal is to get to a moment like this. Martinez may have already etched his name in MLS history, but for many on the team, they'll be looking to him and Mendez to set an example on Wednesday. It's something that Martinez is aware of, and it's a role that he relishes as a veteran of the league. He came to Atlanta to prove that he could make it and became "El Rey" (The king) for a reason, and even at his age, he's still a forward who strikes fear into the opposition, even if they're unbeaten in 22 straight games like St. Louis are.

"We're professional," Martinez said. "We know what the game is; we know what the situation is right now. And we know that is important. We have to go there and play soccer and fight. That's most important. We play soccer. We don't play any other sport. We have pressure; but they have pressure too. So, I think [who] makes fewer mistakes, they can have the opportunity to win."

Being able to deal with that pressure is something that Martinez brings to this squad, which has undergone plenty of change. The Crew may not make the playoffs as they're 11th in the Eastern Conference, so they'll need to look at this as a moment that will make or break their season. But when looking across the pitch, St. Louis City SC have never been in a final in their history so the pressure will be felt both ways but Martinez's goals can make the difference.

"Yeah, we're happy [to be in the final], man. When we score, we strikers want to score every game," Martinez said. "And we get frustrated when we can't do, we can't do not that. But it's a game. We have to be ready for all of this. And that will be a tough game because they are a really good team."

Martinez will have the squad ready for the task at hand as it's a moment where both he and the Crew can get back to their best while being able to host a final in front of their home fans. You can't ask for a better chance than this in what will be an excellent final.